Guardian in the Dark
by Nomi001
Summary: For Medieval Liz, a Frankette. Completed. Finally. 3 last chapters
1. Author's Note

**Guardian in the Dark **

**Author's Note **

First and foremost, this is intended to be a FRANKETTE. I got enough of my coin giving me JOETTES. And this story is for MedievalLiz, the only avowed Frankette I know. And Liz - this is also something to tide you over - since I am really having a bad block with that Frankette for your birthday. I really suspect it was the angst that stumped me - so I am trying this first. I doubt if anyone will appreciate this more, even if badly written. And Liz, please do forgive me if it really is badly written. [Grimace.

This will be about TRAGEDY. And ANGST. Yes, I am going to try ANGST good and proper this time. Even though I am certified PATHETIC at angst.

But I already got me requisite one story per genre…. except hardcore angst. Well, for a first attempt, I shall be happy with just simply angst. Maybe even 'tragic' will do…

This story will be written in first person, even though I am not very good at being Frank. But I will try. This is going to be a double whammy, since I am also not a guy. This will also be written in present tense… so it is current. All the more personal, I hope.

This story is PARANORMAL. It deals with the supernatural, and readers will just have to suspend their standard beliefs in the real world of the Hardy Boys for a short while.

**_Glares at pen and keyboard… _**

Now my stubborn pen and grouchy keyboard be nice. DO NOT turn the story into a Joe-ette again. Don't say I never warn you, another stupid attempt at switching, I'll mete out to you two a fate worse than death, and may the Guardian in the Dark have mercy on your soulless bodies!

I defy your efforts to turn this plot attempt into another Joette. This is written in first person as Frank. I defy you, my thoughts, to sneak in a switch on me this time … but if you do succeed, then I'm stick to being a Joeette, and let there forever be peace…

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	2. 0 Book 1

**Guardian in the Dark **

**0**

**BOOK 1 **

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;

When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

_Genesis 4:9-12, King James Version_

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	3. A polite introduction

**Guardian in the Dark **

**Chapter 1**

Jolly

**A Polite Introduction**

Hello.

My name is Frank.

Yes, Frank Hardy is my name.

My father, as you know, is a well-known private investigator, Fenton Hardy. My mother, Laura, is a stay-at-home housewife, and the best cook in town. She is also a volunteer at the local Red Cross, always willing to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate. It is from her my younger brother inherits his big heart and zest for life.

At least that was what I used to think.

But now I know the truth, as unbelievable as it is. Well, isn't that what they always say, that facts are stranger than fiction? And I assure you, I am living testimony of that line. Perhaps a more accurate way of putting it would be that I am the existing testimony to that.

Ah, my younger brother. You can't help but love him. I remember his first day in school, and how he made it almost instantly as the most popular boy there. And that popularity continued all the way to high school. Very few people can resist his charms. Or perhaps it's because he has such compassion, such a big heart, that people naturally lean towards him.

But he really does have the gift of driving you up the wall and making you feel like pulling out your hair in frustration. Because he is just too nice a guy. Yeah, that's right. He's too nice. He just has to jump in to help whenever something happens. And more often than not, he just has to get into some sort of a trouble and I have to go bail him out.

Oh, his name is Joe by the way, and he's a year my junior. That is if you are interested. Okay, back to the story….

And then I have to stand there and listen and watch in amazement as he weaves his magical spell and spins a yarn so realistic and appealing, Mom and Dad let him – and me – get away with whatever trouble we got into. Trouble that 'WE' got into, when it is him all the while.

But how can I fault him, or even stay angry with him for long? Whatever he does, he does it out of the goodness of his heart. My brother can never stand to see another hurt or suffer. And for that, he suffers numerous hurts and injuries. For that, I too suffered. And will continue to suffer.

I suffered from the mental aggravation and the emotional upheaval whenever my little brother got himself missing or injured. I suffer from the stress of always wondering what if I fail to find him this time, or find him too late, or…Ah….The endless list of 'what ifs' that never ceases to plague my mind.

Ever since his birth, I have been there to look after him, and to protect him. I did not really understand why back then, but it is as if that need was imprinted on me even before I was born. I understand now, a little late, that I am to be my brother's keeper. That is why God gifted me with all these skills and talents, and my remarkably high IQ…but I'll get to it later.

Then again, my brother has the most winsome smile and the most appealing eyes. One look into those deep, sparkling blue orbs and you feel bad about denying him. May God have mercy on whoever his future wife might be, for I have no doubt she'll be putty in his hands. His girlfriend, Vanessa, already is.

Now where am I?

As you can see, even now he has this ability to turn my orderly and rational mind upside down. But what I can say? Joe is Joe is Joe is my beloved baby brother.

What happened? Oh yes, I was always there to pull him out of scrapes. And the pressure of having to be there to rescue him on time and to protect him from his own kind heart got to me.

One day, I snapped. I could not take the stress anymore and turned on him for a short while. Why could he not be more mature and think of the consequences before jumping into any potentially dangerous situation?! Why couldn't he consider how his family would feel if anything happened to him? Why couldn't he try to understand what it would do to me if I were to fail to protect him? If I were to lose him? I couldn't bear to think of that. That thought hurts too much.

If I were to fail to protect him? Strange phrasing of words, ain't it? I did not realize that back then, though now I do. That was pride, and the old saying goes, pride cometh before a fall. And fell I did, and damn hard too. And more DAMN than you know.

So in that moment, I abandoned my brother but for a moment. I wanted him to learn to be more responsible and to take better care of himself. I threw myself into my studies and my preparations for college and forced myself to ignore him, while my parents watched, concerned. But they did not interfere; they always let us work out our own problems.

_'But he has to learn to be more responsible_,' I told myself fiercely. It was for his own good. _After all, I certainly cannot be there for him his entire life!_ And what if one day something happened to me? Who would be there for him?

The irony of course is that something DID happen to me…but I am still here, for him.

Ah, I abandoned him for that short moment for his own good. It did not even last 48 hours before I went searching for him to put things right between us again. But by then, it was too late.

THEY had already taken him.

I failed my duty as my brother's keeper.

In the short 48 hours when I stopped watching out for him, THEY took him. Back then, I had no idea who THEY were, or more accurately, what THEY were. By the time I realized and believed in the impossible, it was too late for me.

But not for my brother. I swore back then that it will never be too late for my brother. NEVER.

Against all odds, I managed to help save him back then. But he is still in danger. He still has no idea how special he is. And I have been around guarding him since then. I suppose its God's way of telling me I still had a chance at penance, by letting me continue to exist. It was a fate worse than death, but I endure it just so I can continue to protect my brother.

I smile at the figure sleeping before me.

I itch to touch him, but I dare not. How can I bear to taint the goodness before me with the darkness that I have become?

HA! I suppose that you will have guessed what I have become by now?

Never mind if you haven't. I prefer it that way.

So yes, I am here most nights in my brother's room, watching over him, like a guardian angel. But of course I am no guardian angel but a creature of darkness and a spawn of hell.

Sometimes I invade his dreams, even though I know I should not. But in those dreams, I can pretend that incident never happened. I can pretend my last year was normal, and that we are now both at college enjoying the lectures and dating and sports and everything normal.

Suddenly I tense and fade deeper into the shadows. There is something out there. A shadow looms at the window and silently opens it.

My brother sleeps on unaware. I always make sure he remains asleep and unaware. I do not wish for him to see what I am now. I do not wish for him to know of the dark world that exists beyond the one he knows. And now, like before, I send a command into his mind for him to sleep through.

Then I turn my attention to the open window.

That creature climbs in through the window and is making its way to the bed where my brother lies. I swiftly intercept his path, a wooden stake held tightly in my gloved hands. The stake has been soaked in Holy Water, and I cannot touch it bare-handed.

I go straight for the heart. The creature turns and looks at me. Then its mouth opens, wordlessly showing off its sharp blood-stained fangs. It recognizes me for what I am, and the shock is evident on its evil face.

"You are one of us…why?"

"Because that is my baby brother, you bastard!" I tell him coldly as I pull out the stake.

I watch dispassionately as the figure before me crumples into dust. I have no regrets at all going against all of my kind. I detest what I have become, and I would have killed myself ages ago if not for my brother.

But I force myself to continue existing. For him. Joe.

I am so lonely and alone now. I no longer have any family or friends. I mean, they are all still there, but I am no longer a part of that life. They are of the light and I am of the darkness.

Most nights I just keep my silent vigil and watch over him. Except for when I need to feed, and for that, I always go to the blood bank at the hospital. It was rumored that as long as I do not consume blood from an unwilling live victim, I still have a chance. Who cares if that was a rumor and a false hope? I live for that hope. At least until my brother is safe and THEY are exterminated.

And it does warm my cold heart just to see him go about his normal routines. And it warms my frozen soul whenever he looks at my picture and tells me how much he misses me.

My smile fades a little when I remember that his 19th birthday is coming up soon. That means that my brother will soon know how special he is. That also means that THEY will be doubling and tripling their efforts to get Joe. That means also that this mess will soon come to an end.

And Joe will be able to kill me then.

Perhaps finally I can go to rest in peace in the earth, and the earth will no longer reject me and will welcome me into its warm embrace.

I suppose now you want to know what happened.

But ah, the sun is rising and I need to go. Perhaps I shall share my tale with you as I watch over my brother tomorrow night.

Perhaps.

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**I hope you will like it, Liz **

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	4. The Story Part 1

**Guardian in the Dark  
**

Chapter 2

Jolly

**The Story Part 1**

I can feel the setting sun, and the night slowly covering the land that is being abandon by the sunlight.

I can feel the agony eat at my dead flesh as I force my dead muscles to move. Hell fires race through every inch of my body as I make my way out of my tomb and into the night world that is now my world. I claw my way to the surface. Tonight I greet the waning moon as I break through the earth.

The earth may shield me from the sun every day. But it hates me, and contact with it is like a thousand needles poking at me. It is not exactly painful. Just intensely uncomfortable. One may say, agonizingly uncomfortable. It is the earth's way of saying that it does not want this foul creature in its bosom longer than need be. And likewise I cannot wait to get out of its torturous embrace each time the sun sets.

Yes, it is like that every evening as I awaken. Did I not tell you last night that there were worse fates than dying?

And this pain is nothing compared to my hunger for fresh blood. Not those I steal from the blood bank twice weekly. But the fresh blood in a real live human being. I can hear the warm heart pumping from a distance. I can literally feel and see the full-bodied blood newly oxygenated fresh out from the heart. It calls to me and tempts me like nothing else in the world. And since I always deny my body the natural fresh blood sustenance, the hunger in me tortures me every second of my every waking hour. The pain of this mental wretchedness, believe me, far exceeds the physical pain of each waking.

Do you now believe that there are worse fates than dying?

I made my way swiftly to the house at the corner of Elm Street. Like I did almost every night. To watch them; to lose myself in their humanity. And to guard my brother against the darkness that wanted to take him. I watch them as a family and as individuals, and pretend I am there too with them, trading quips at the dining table.

The advantage of being the creature I am is the few supernatural skills that come with it. I am much faster and stronger than I was before, when I was human. I have much better night vision and a radar-like ability to sense others like me. I learn how to cloak my presence and learn how to use my mental capabilities to weave my way through the human world so that they never suspect what I am. And that skill also allows me to remain undetectable to my family and friends. So I can better watch over them.

I am perhaps most guilty of using it so ruthlessly against my own brother. Oh I know he'd still love me despite what I have become. But my own shame cannot allow me to face him. So I hide from him. And when the desire became too unbearable, I entered his dreams and for that few hours enjoyed the sweetness of a happy and unburdened brotherhood. It regenerates my soul like nothing else, and again I was ready to resume my position as my brother's keeper. Just for a while more.

But God, I am so tired. I am wearied to the soul.

And the joy and fear of Joe's 19th birthday looms invitingly and ominously before me.

I am confused as to what I really want. Does it really matter though? I see my brother live through this, and after that, I shall leave it in God's hands.

I stare longingly at the Bible by my brother's bedside. I wish I could still touch it. I can remember so few of those quotes now…and even so the memory of those words burns and scars my mind each time I recall them. But I force myself to endure the pain anyway, because those few words are a soothing balm to my tormented soul.

Ah, there's my brother out from the shower and ready for bed. This time, however, he pauses and his face screws up in puzzlement. He scans his room intently as if he is looking for something. For a moment, he stares directly at me, and my heart stops. Actually, that is incorrect, for my heart no longer beats. But you get my drift. Then he shakes his head in that usual endearing manner, chuckles, and returns to his homework. Soon he will be abed. Perhaps I may pay a visit in his dreams again tonight.

I miss him so much! Strange is it not, when I am right here watching him?

Hmm…yes, he is definitely coming of age. I think he sort of senses my presence. Maybe it'll be too dangerous to go dream surfing tonight.

I sigh in disappointment, and then proceed to settle myself comfortably into my favorite corner in my brother's room.

Oh, and you want to know what happened, don't you?

Since nothing seems to be happening, I may as well recount the events of the past that led up to today. It may even do my burdened soul some good to share it with you.

It all started a little over a year ago.

You remember the incident I mentioned last night? The one in which I stopped watching out for my brother? Well, it happened as I said, and as soon as I cooled down on the second day I went looking for him to make up with him. After all, I was the one who started the argument. But Joe avoided me the whole day at school. Then he had football training. After that he went off to Vanessa's, and later Mom got a call from him saying that he would be home after dinner. He never arrived.

By ten that night, we were all annoyed that he stayed out so late on a school night. He really ought to grow up and learn not take our quarrels to others. I called the Benders, only to find out that Joe left at half past seven. That was when we got really worried.

He never got home. Our van was found abandoned on Shore Road at eleven-ish, but he was not there. There was no sign of any struggle, and there were no signs that any other vehicle was ever there. There was no sign that the crime scene had been contaminated in any way. And since it was so late at night, there were no witnesses either.

It was the most baffling case – according to both my dad and the Bayport police.

There was nothing, not even the undetectable getaway car.

How the heck did anyone pull that off?

Of course now I know it was not an 'anyone' but a group of 'somethings'.

But now to get back to the story.

I was beside myself with worry. And guilt too. It was me, I told my parents. I stopped looking out for him and he was taken. Of course not, they told me. It was them.

Sadly I was right that time. It was me. You see, in the human world, that argument between me and Joe would have meant nothing. Just a little rift here and there that was so common in any normal relationship. But then, Joe was special, like I said. You'll know what I mean later, when I get to that part of the story. And as I also said last night, God had given me the skills and talents and brains to be his keeper and protector. So when I made that intentional announcement of my own free will to abandon him to his own devices, it also stripped Joe of the protective, spiritual, God-given shield that I had over him, that I did not even know I had. And from that moment on, without the shielding he was fully and vulnerably exposed before he was ready. His presence had shone bright and clear, and THEY had come for him. And they took him away.

We did not know that back then, of course. And so for three days, we waited at home with FBI agents, for a call, or any other forms of contact, for a ransom or something. We also went through all possible enemies who might have the means and motives and also might have been in the vicinity to carry out the kidnapping.

There was nothing. No one was near here, and they all had alibis.

Three days came and went and there was still no contact. The FBI agents packed up and left, and soon they were reassigned to other cases.

Dad worked tirelessly for weeks, going through lists of his former enemies who did not even have any remote chance of being a suspect. I did the same on my side. We even begged Gray from the Network to check up on some Assassins links to see if someone from that end had Joe.

Nothing.

Days turned into weeks.

I was eaten alive by guilt and by worry for Joe. How was he? Was he still alive? Was he in pain? Was he being tortured on a daily basis? Who had him and why? Would I ever see him again? Would I ever have the chance to tell him that I still cared for him and would always be there for him? Or would he die, forever thinking that I no longer cared for him? That last thought was unbearable.

And weeks turned into months.

Two months, one week, and four days to be exact. That was when THEY came for me. And what happened next threw my entire world upside down.

I am sure you know that I am a very logical and practical person. I approach life in a very scientifically methodological manner, and everything in my world has a logical explanation. Yes, I was very much like Dana Scully. And what happened next turned me into a Fox Mulder. Sort of. If you get my gist.

Ah, the sun is rising again.

Well then, this is all I have to say for tonight. Tomorrow night perhaps, if you are still keen to hear my tale?

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**Should I ask for reviews? Well I suppose - please tell me how to improve the angst element! **

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	5. The Story Part 2

**  
**

* * *

**Guardian in the Dark**

Jolly

Chapter 3

**The Story Part 2**

Now, where was I last night?

Oh…right.

THEY came for me under the cover of the dark and quiet night. They invaded my home, came through my window and took off with me, just like that.

There were two of them. One of them simply grabbed me and slung me across his broad shoulders. Then they moved smoothly and swiftly out of my window, and soon we were racing across town. What was it like? Did you ever watch _Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon_? Yes? Then remember the scene where the actor Chow Yuen Fatt and the actress Zhang Ziyi were fighting and effortlessly skimming across the bamboo forest? Well, that was it. They were skipping lightly from rooftop to rooftop until they reached the outskirts of Bayport city where they simply raced down the roads. And I, slung across those broad shoulders, could see everything pass by me in a blur of movement. I could see some people below me as we 'flew' by them, but none looked up to see us. Not that they could do anything about it of course. And now knowing what THEY are, anyone who saw us that night would not live to see dawn.

Then also I thought I was dreaming. Would you have believed that it was real? We were almost flying through Bayport! Of course I had to be dreaming!

Did I struggle or make any attempt to escape? I suppose I did, in a dreamy sort of way. But I couldn't, of course. THEY had commanded me to passivity in my mind. And passive I was before them. I could not find the will, much less the strength to even think of escaping. So I went with them, and for a long while believed that I was really dreaming. I couldn't wake up from the nightmare obviously because I couldn't summon up the will to pinch myself awake….Yeah, it's got to be that….

Okay, enough of my incredulousness and let's get back again to what happened next.

Though I must admit to myself that I always wondered guiltily and longingly that if I had been a lot less logical and practical, and had been more flexible and less stubborn, and more willing to give the benefit of doubt to things that were outside of my understanding, whether the outcome would have been different?

There was this long black limousine waiting for us on this isolated stretch of road outside of Bayport. They shoved me into the car. There was a man inside. He was dressed in black. Heck! They all were! Of course they wore black! They were the bad guys. No, no, now wait a minute….The Men in Black wore black, so did Neo in Matrix…and they were the good guys. Argh! Anyway, this guy was clearly the boss of the two who abducted me. What I did not realize was how big a boss he was. His face was white as snow, and his skin actually looked waxy. His hand reached out to stroke my face. It was cold, and waxy.

"Frank Hardy?" he queried.

"Yes," I answered without thought.

He tilted my face upwards and his eyes stared straight into mine. And I shivered. Those eyes were deep and dark and totally black. They were like bottomless pits that threatened to draw you in, never to let you out again. Still I stared back into those two soulless pools. I could not look away.

"And you know him," he said as he turned my face towards the young man seated before us.

I did not realize he was there till then. He had blond hair and his blue eyes stared vacantly ahead. It took me a while to process that information and to comprehend who that was. When I really should be jumping for joy seeing him, then feeling worry and anger over what had been done to him. When I should be concerned over what might have been done to him over the last two months.

Instead, I simply responded in a monosyllable, "yes."

"Who is he?" he asked again.

"My younger brother…Joe," I murmured.

I really should be reaching out to him instead of just sitting there. Perhaps I did do something…and did it from the depths of my soul, for I [had felt something from within me. In the next instant, Joe [had reacted. He blinked and then slowly shook his head as if trying to clear his mind. Then his eyes settled on me. A spark of recognition flashed there and it [had enabled me to break free of whatever spell I was under, for...I tried to reach for him, even as he called out to me:

"Frank?" he croaked.

That was about as far as we got with our resistance. The waxy-faced man wove one of his hands before Joe's eyes in an intricate pattern, and I saw his eyes close, and he relaxed back into his seat. I wasn't much better off, for the man's other hand had taken hold of my chin and next I knew I was again staring into those soulless eyes.

"We got the right one…we can go now," I heard him say to the others, and the limo started to move.

Still he did not let go of my chin. And as he continued to look at me, his expression turned thoughtful. Then he smiled an absolutely feral smile, and I could feel the fear rising in me so rapidly I was soon drowning in terror. It was deliberate, a small rational part of me realized. But that tiny little rational 'I' could do nothing but remain a hapless bystander as the real physical me was soon reduced into a quivering, terrified little child. All that tiny little rational fraction of me could do was to observe the goings-on in morbid fascination, and be appropriately horrified at what was to come. And knew it was all deliberate. Whoever he was, he enjoyed feeding on fear and terror.

Then he chuckled...evilly, I would say.

Mind you, evil was not exactly the kind of word I'd used easily. It was not that I did not believe in God and the Devil. I do, but also believed that they were outside of the realm of normal humans like us. Now, I use that word every single day on myself.

"I see a small part of you is still in there fighting. Just like your brother. Very strong willed, both of you…" he commented.

I did not like where he was leading the conversation, but I could do nothing. And the larger part of me was still fighting against the terror that threatened to totally engulf me. I was hanging on by the tips of my fingernails.

"It's going to be a while before we get to our destination…tell you what, I'll let you ask a question. …Who knows, maybe you'll allowed more than one if you keep asking the right questions," he tempted me, his expression cruel.

And then I felt the terror within me lessen a little, just enough for me to think a little more clearly.

_'He's playing a game with me. I was to be his entertainment unit,' I thought. _

And he knew I had to play that game. My dad always taught us the more information we have, the better our chances. I quickly sifted through the night's events and that of Joe being taken and now me…

"You need me…for what?" I asked.

"Even now you are still aware enough to know what to ask, aren't you?" He laughed softly, a hint of respect there. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not that it matters, that finely inquisitive mind of yours…."

"In the last two months, we could not turn your brother…his heart remains pure…." He paused and gave me this vicious satisfied smile that sent chills up my spine. "But you can…"

_'I can do what?'_ I wondered desperately. Whatever that was certainly did not bode well for my brother…._'Nor for you,'_ a voice whispered at the back of my mind.

Then anger welled up from deep within me. How dared he imply I would do anything against my own brother? I would rather die first! And how dare he hurt Joe?!

The waxy-faced man must have heard my thoughts. (Well, now I knew he DID hear my thoughts.) And he laughed, uproariously, and turned his pitying eyes onto me. He leaned even closer to me, so close his face was now a blur in my vision. So close I could feel his cold dry breath on my face, and smell his fetid breath. And his next words turned my blood to ice.

"Ah my dear Frank…but you already did…hurt your brother. It was you who delivered him unto us. WE searched for years, but we could not find him, until you betrayed your duties as his keeper, and withdrew your protection, and we found him…"

Soft, harsh laughter filled the tiny confines of the big limo. And I sank further into guilt and despair as he explained in detail what I had done. Desperately, I searched for a way to awaken from my nightmare. It had to be a dream, and a really bad one. The whole thing was just so illogical, so unnatural; it had to be a dream.

Tragically for me it was real.

"And before this week is out, I promise you, you will betray him, and hurt him…and turn him…because only YOU can."

His eyes gleamed for an instant with a primal light. Just as quickly the light faded. Then he continued in a bored tone. Clearly his enjoyment with his little game had come to an end.

"And you will…who knows, you may even die first before making your first move," he continued his voice both amused and confident. "In the meantime, you should join your brother in a good night's sleep."

That cruel certainty and conviction made me shrink back away from him. But only metaphorically, spiritually, figuratively…whatever. Physically, I was quite well immobilized by fear and something else. Then I started to feel really tired and sleepy, my thoughts slowed, and words swirled sluggishly about my mind. Somehow, there and then I knew, and knew with an undeniable certainty, that everything that was said would come to pass. And I could do nothing about it. And that was when I really started struggling in earnest, not that it did me any good. And the darkness slowly dragged me into its inky depths….

_'No,' I pleaded to anyone, to no one. 'Please, no, don't let it happen that way. Please, don't… No…NoNoNononono….' _

"NO!" That single word escaped from my lips before I could rein it in.

I perk up in panic. Darn! How can I get so engrossed in my story-telling that I forget where I am? My eyes automatically look towards the bed where my brother lies sleeping, and true enough, he is awake and scanning the room.

"Frank?" Joe calls out to me, his hand reaching for the light switch.

I continue to cloak my presence from him, increasing the strength of my mental shield two-fold. I edge towards the door, in preparation to leave (actually to run; I have become very good at running away in the last year. I bet you never expected that of me.).

"Frank?" Joe calls out again.

Still I keep my silence, and continue to watch him as he scans the room left and right, and as he tilts his head to focus for a moment on the corner where I am standing. Finally he slumps back down onto his bed, disappointment clear in his posture. He looks so devastated and so sad that I almost give in and approach him. _Almost_.

"Oh Frank…why do I always have this feeling that you are still around somewhere?"

His voice is so full of yearning my heart breaks. But I harden what is left of my heart and watch him cry himself to sleep. Then I use my mind to turn off the lights before leaving his room. I make my way to the roof right above Joe's room. I can guard him as effectively from up here as from down there. I can no longer stand being in the same room with him. It hurts, because he hurts, because I hurt him.

No, do not ask me to continue with my tale tonight. I cannot. Perhaps tomorrow, and only if I can master my anguish….No, for tonight, let me just relax and let the stars soothe away some of my raw pain.

I turn my face up to the starry skies, and for a while just let my soul bathe in the illusionary warmth of the starlit night….

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**Should I ask for reviews? Well I suppose - please tell me how to improve the angst element! **

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	6. A Needed Interlude

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**Guardian in the Dark **

Chapter 4

Jolly

**A Needed Interlude**

I am now rushing as fast as I can to my brother's side. Fear for his safety threatens to overwhelm me.

'Please… Please let Joe be all right,' I send my desperate plea to God.

Surely the Lord will not let anything happen to the one that He has special plans for?

Tonight, unlike other nights, I was ambushed soon after I awakened. There were four of them waiting for me, all of them armed with stakes soaked in Holy Water. One of them nearly nailed me, and only my quick reflexes allowed me to escape being turned into dust. But I was not totally unscathed, that stake did graze my left arm, and left behind a long slash of charred flesh.

Never mind that, it will be fully healed by tomorrow night.

After the initial close shave, I dispatched all four murderous creatures with relative ease.

Do you know that I oft wonder why is it that I can so easily destroy them, even though I am a lot younger than they? The power of a vampyre grows with age, and I am barely a year old by their standard. Those four whom I just dispatched were at least a half-century old each.

Perhaps I have always been a natural-born killer. Think about it; at eighteen, I was a black belt in karate and survived several hand-to-hand combats with hardcore terrorists and professional assassins. My father will tell you that I am a natural marksman, and I am the undisputed champion in fencing at Bayport High. I am also an expert on bombs…though I had used that knowledge to dismantle a nuclear bomb. But rest assured I could have just as easily set off one.

And I have an extremely high IQ. Believe me, I could have easily given my testers a perfect score. I deliberately made a few mistakes so no one would know about me. Don't ask me why I did that, though. Have you ever read up on psychos and serial killers? They were all extremely intelligent beings too…and focused, and bored, and they kill in the most imaginative ways as they approach adulthood….

(Now that I think about it, I 'died' on my nineteenth birthday. How interesting.)

Are you scared of me yet?

I nimbly dodge aside and a wooden arrow whizzes harmlessly by. I reach out and catch the arrow with my gloved hand and throw it back in the direction from whence it came. My sharp hearing catches a shocked gasp and I know I got the target.

Another ambush! Damn! If they are delaying me, that means they had others going after Joe. Damn, damn, damn…

I am not going to make it in time, I realize despairingly as many more arrows come whizzing towards me. I dive for cover.

A quick scan of my surroundings tells me that there were ten of them. They have the high ground and they have closed off all my escape routes. The continuous flow of flying arrows has kept me pinned to my little makeshift shelter. We are caught in an impasse. But I am at a disadvantage. I know that they are merely buying time to carry out their plans.

_'I need help,'_ I think desperately as I search hopelessly for a way out of my predicament.

"Thought you'd never ask!" a female voice rang a little too cheerfully in my mind.

_'Jana,' _I thought sourly

My…well, she owns me, one might say… Even though she lets me run free most of the time. Surprise? You didn't think I could learn all that vampyre stuff on my own, did you? And clearly it takes a human to get and make those Holy Water soaked stakes.

I can feel an old familiar stinging sensation on my inner right wrist. I look down and sure enough, the runes there are glowing faintly. It was her way of reminding me that I belong to her.

_Jana._ She prevented me from killing myself that first time. She bound me to her service with a single binding spell. And she forbids me to harm myself in any way. She taught me how to survive without killing. She taught me about the vampyre world and the rules that governed them. She gave me the knowledge and the tools with which to kill them, and to protect Joe. I am grateful to her for that. At the same time I hate her for her hold over me. Even though I must admit she rarely exercises that right.

And now, I am glad for her presence; anything to keep Joe safe.

Within minutes, she took down five of those creatures with her crossbow, using the knowledge of their locations which I provided for her. She could have simply taken it from my mind, though she has yet to abuse that privilege. For which I am grateful.

'Don't worry about Joe. My brother Jonah will see to his safety.' She flashes that message into my mind.

I let myself relax a little.

But I still need to see Joe truly safe and sound before I can fully feel at ease. With the opening she created for me, I take down the other five as quickly as I can.

Then the two of us head towards Elm Street together.

Jana Van Helsing. Did you recognize that name? I told you before that truth is stranger than fiction. And Bram Stoker's _Dracula_ is pure fiction, by the way, just in case you are wondering.

Ah, we are there. And I can see Jonah and his two helpers made quick mincemeat out of the creatures after my brother. I count a dozen little piles of vampyre dust that will soon be blown away by the night breeze. There will be no evidence left behind for anyone to know that a little 'vampyre war' had taken place right before their doorsteps.

Looking up, I see Jonah's slim silhouette on the roof right above my brother's room.

_Thank you,_ I signal to him.

_You're welcome,_ he signals back, and then he settles comfortably onto the rooftop.

That surprises me, for I thought that I would be taking over guard duty. My brother is my responsibility, after all. But Jana apparently has other plans. She makes her way swiftly to the tree house in our backyard, and clambers up into it with the speed and the grace of a cat. She is so incredibly athletic and acrobatic that it is sometimes difficult to think of her as human. Her brother shares the same talents.

I'm sure you guess by now, they are vampyre-hunters. Jana and Jonah; same age as my brother; they're twins, and of the Van Helsing bloodline.

I match her pace with equal agility.

This tree house brings back many happy memories for me. My brother and I built this together when we were fifteen and sixteen respectively. It was our summer project and we were so proud when we completed it. Mom held a small backyard party for the grand opening of our very first 'home' that we built with our own hands. That tree house became the meeting place for the gang as we planned our numerous parties and outings and trips. I reach out to touch the wood, and let myself remember those sweet memories. I let those moments of joy flow over me, and wash away the killing stench from the battle just minutes before.

I know, I know. So now you wonder why I said I am so alone and lonely, right?

Truth is, they are still human while I am not. I cannot bear to be close to them, to be close to anyone, for it reminds me too much of what I am not.

"Frank."

I look at her with an enquiring expression.

"You are not alone in this."

Yeah, tell me about that.

"You're stretching yourself a little too thin."

"There haven't been any major attacks on Joe in the last few months...until tonight, that is. So I don't understand what you mean by me stretching myself too thin…" I start my defense.

"Emotionally…" Jana cuts in, her arms akimbo, and she dares me to contradict her.

Ah… 

"I can sense them through our bond, Frank. You cannot continue like that. You have to stop running. Your brother's birthday is just days away now…"

_Doesn't she think I know that? I look forward to that as much as I want to run away from it… _

"Frank, you have to want to live. For your brother. Or don't you care for him at all?"

"I _AM_ 'living on' for Joe. Why do you think I endure the waking pains and the hunger pangs? And I would willingly die for him, so don't you dare suggest otherwise."

"But you refuse to live…" she said sadly.

_What the heck does she mean by that! Can't she see that I am already living for Joe? What more does she want? Does anyone want from me?... and why does she sound so sad? _

"Your brother won't kill you, Frank. He will never be able to live with himself if he did. So don't even think about trying to trick him….However, he will be more than willing to give his life for yours…"

That is my greatest fear….What if he has the power to trade lives? I read about such powers in the ancient texts in the Van Helsing family crypt. Only God can create life, but some can trade a life for a life.

I cannot live on without him. I will never let that happen….

Guess now you know another truth. I know from my previous encounter with those vampires that Joe is very special. The Van Helsings have alluded often to the fact that Joe is special. But I really have no idea how much, and what about Joe that made him special, and in what way exactly. I have no idea exactly what he will be capable of. Though those vampyres believe that having Joe on their side will make them the dominant race of this planet, otherwise they may face extinction.

I finally acknowledge now that it's because the Van Helsings never told me anything regarding that, even though I know that they know, and that was the reason why I cannot trust them fully.

"Yes, he will be more than capable of killing you, if you really want to know that…" Jana said to me, exasperation clear in her voice.

"Jana, you have always left my thoughts alone…why start peeking at them now?" I ask of her, extremely irate.

"Because, now more than before, you need me to! And someone needs to knock some sense into that thick, stubborn, selfish, idiotic skull of yours!" she spat back at me.

Silence rules between us for the next few minutes. It is extremely rare for Jana to lose it like that.

"Jana…" 

She waves away my attempt at explanation.

"Frank….You were a detective. An amateur detective, but a damned good one. What happened to him? Why haven't you been asking the right questions?"

_What the…? I did ask questions. But you guys never answered! _

"Ever consider _WHY_ is it that we never answered?"

I blink. No… 

Jana shook her head sadly. She looks disappointed in me. I guess I deserve that. I suppose her occasional accusation of me wallowing in self-pity is true.

"You know Vampyre minds are linked. That's why you can scan for them. Some vampyres, like you, are better able to shield their thoughts than others. But none can shield their thoughts from the Queen…"

_I remember Her leaning close to me, Her hands stroking and lips whispering instructions at the same time… _

"She might have handed over your initiation to someone else, but for her to be able to use you to directly access Joe's mind, she gave you a drop of her blood…"

_The long slim finger was poised above my lips. I saw that single droplet of blood slowly drip downwards towards me. _

"… made you stronger than most [of vampyres, but that also means that you are more closely linked to Her…"

_I felt it land on my tongue. I tasted the sweetness and I tried to reach out for more… _

"…that's why we cannot let you know the truth about your brother….She can still use you…"

I told her I would and She laughed… 

I find myself sinking back into that nightmare…

"Frank…FRANK!"

I look up at her, but I am not really seeing her… 

_SLAP! _

That woke me up. Damn! She slapped me!

I glare at her.

Unrepentant, she glares back.

"Frank…I was saying there was a reason why that first attempt was conducted on your birthday….After that they let you both go. There have been no major attempts to get at you guys until now…with Joe's birthday just round the corner…"

Oh no…no…I am not ready to talk about that… 

"Frank, we have no time left….What exactly happened on your nineteenth birthday?"

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**Reviews please? It really helps make my day sunny despite the cold outside. **

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	7. The Story Part 3

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Jolly

Chapter 5

**The Story Part 3**

I wake up to see Jana pull back the thick dark drapes of our hotel room. It is an extremely rare treat that Jana has just given to me: a split-second glimpse of the final rays of the setting sun…and then it is night.

It did hurt my eyes quite a bit, but that gorgeous sight was well worth the pain.

As you surmise, I did not go to ground yesterday.

Jana's point-blank request for details of THAT night had shocked me, and I blanked out for a short while. I meant it when I say I was not ready to talk about that. But Jana was right too. We have no time left. And as I tried for the first time in months to recall those painful memories, I broke. It was still too painful.

_So sorry, Joe, I still couldn't bear to think about it…. _

I curled into a ball and cried. It soon turned into gut-wrenching sobs. Then I felt a pair of arms around me, and for the first time since I turned, I allowed myself to lean back into her embrace for comfort. I let Jana hold me in her arms as I let out all my fears, my terror, my horror, and my shame of what I did. And Jana just held me, whispering soothing words of comfort into my ears. I listened, but heard nothing. But the melodious tones of her words wove a soothing magical spell about me.

It was a long while before I finally calmed down, mostly because I cried myself to exhaustion. It was good to let it all out. But I was feeling quite blank and empty by then. So I simply followed as Jana took us to a hotel and checked us in. Then she tucked me into bed like my mom used to when I was a kid. And I slept.

"Thanks Jana, for that lovely glimpse of the sun."

She turned to me with a smile. "I knew you'd like that."

You must be wondering why I would choose to go to the ground when I can sleep in a bed. The answer is simple: safety. It is a luxury most of us creatures do not have most of the time. And I had that as the sun rose this morning only because Jana was watching over me.

I look down at my left arm. The earth that Jana had sprinkled over the charred slash had done its job and partially healed the wound, and now it merely looks red and sore. Had I slept in the earth, my arm would have healed fully.

"Interesting isn't it, that the earth hates me, yet it heals me when I rest within it?" I say to Jana in an amused tone.

"That's why we call her Mother Earth. She mothers all her children, the good, the bad…all of them. Remember that, Frank." That is Jana's reply.

She's really something, isn't she? Every time I see her, I wish things were different between us. That is not to be, but still I wish.

Ah, you must be wondering what happened to Callie, my first love and girlfriend? She was devastated by my death, just like Joe. I went to her in the night, invaded her dreams, and told her to move on with life. She had refused to at first, but over the days, I slowly eased her pains, and dulled her feelings for me. When she received a full scholarship to study at UCLA, I encouraged her to go. She went. She still kept in touch with Joe; I left that bit of compulsion in her to keep in touch occasionally. So I know how she is doing, that she is fine. And last I heard she met this really nice guy there.

I am happy for her. I truly am.

A light and amused laughter fills the room.

"Still procrastinating?"

Did I ever mention I hate Jana?

"Why don't you just grab the necessary details directly from my mind?" I grouch at her.

"Because you need to talk about it."

And she was right too. I needed to talk about it. In fact, I already started the process myself three nights ago, when I began to tell you about my story.

"There is a big fight coming up, and I cannot afford, and Joe cannot afford, to have you go into it with a death wish….It would mean the battle is already half lost."

I turn away from her. That is true, and I know it too.

What happened back then? Nothing much happened, really. At least everything that happened that night was very simple and straightforward. It was the what-I-did-and-almost-did part that haunts me, and killed what was left of my soul. But I guess it is time to face my sins.

"The Queen sent that waxy-faced man for me the night before my nineteenth birthday. He was there waiting in that long black limo on the outskirts of Bayport. He told me what I had done, and what I will do. Then he put me to sleep…"

_Focus on the bare facts, strip out the unnecessary emotional attachments….In the end, it is the material facts that count…in the process of solving a case and most certainly in the court of law… _

Yes, I remember my father's advice.

"I woke up in a tastefully furnished room. I could see sunlight coming in through the window. I remembered my nightmare; there was a vampire in it, and he drank my blood twice….I felt really lethargic and weak, and in a moment of weakness, I reached up to touch my neck. There was nothing there and I breathed a sigh of relief. I turned and saw what woke me. It was a bunch of teenagers. 'Happy Birthday,' they said to me. Then they fed me fruits and water, and cleaned me. They dressed me in a pair of silky pants and left me there half dressed. Strangely, I had no desire to escape or to find out where I was. I simply lay there and stared at the clear blue sky as if it was the last time I would ever see it, and soon I was asleep again…"

"What type of pants?" Jana asks me.

"Red, red as fresh blood…with golden symbols embroidered onto the sides."

I send over what I remember of those golden symbols to her mind.

She nods and gives me a reassuring smile.

I look in her eyes and for the first time notice the gentleness in them. Her pale blue eyes remind me of the clear blue sky on a cool and crisp spring day. I shake my head and laugh at myself for my foolishness. Then again, perhaps I have allowed myself to hope again, and that may be a good thing. I settled myself into a more comfortable position and began to talk….

And she listens, ever so patiently.

When I next awakened, it was night. The waxy-faced man came for me. He bade me follow him and I did. We walked down a corridor lined with Impressionist artwork, and we turned into a rather big hall. There was a pentagram drawn onto the floor in the centre of the room. The waxy-faced man led me to the centre of the pentagram, bade me kneel, and I did. Ever so obedient; and I never even wondered why.

And She was there just beyond the pentagram, seated on her divan of white fur, looking regal and sultry. Hers was the unearthly beauty of the brightest stars that shimmered in the darkest night. But when she smiled, you could feel the frost of the Arctic wind.

She was looking at a piece of paper.

"Born at nine in the night, weren't you?" She asked of me.

"Yes."

"So you shall die at the hour of your birth and rise again at the witching hour…after which you will pledge your allegiance to me."

I knelt there and just stared at her.

I saw her gesture to the waxy-faced man, saying to him, "You've done well, Asmodeus, my servant….I can see he is almost there….See that you drain him and that his heart beats its last at the hour of his birth, no earlier and no later."

"Yes, my Queen."

"When he rises at midnight, you will feed him with your own blood, and of your own free will….He will not kill for his sustenance, at least not till he gets me what I want….It is imperative that his soul remains intact, and a part of it untainted in the meantime, do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Good, and after that, you will bring him to me. I will be waiting in the Ceremonial Chamber with the other one."

With that, she left.

And Asmodeus moved towards me, and he waited.

Asmodeus was the name of one of the eight demon arch-princes of the first hierarchy, according to Sebastien Michaelis's _History_ _Admirable_ written in 1613, I recalled as I waited along with him.

When the clock showed eight forty-five, he reached for me, even as I willingly bared my neck to him. I felt the quick and sharp pain as his fangs sank deep into my jugular, followed by a deep throbbing ache as he slowly drained my blood from me. From somewhere within me, I realized that he could have made it quick and painless, but he chose to drag it out and enjoy his meal and to feast on the pain that I could still feel over that fifteen long minutes. I felt my heart slow, then labor as the volume of blood fell steadily.

Then the clock strikes nine, and my heart beats its last tortured beat….

I did not know what transpired during those three hours when I lay dead within that pentagram. But I rose at midnight within it, just as the Queen had wanted.

The clock struck twelve and I took my first breath….

And I was starving.

A hunger so deep and so stark it gnawed at the very essence of my being. At that level of agony, there was no room for thoughts or morals, only the deep-seated need to feed. A need so primal and so core that, should a live being be placed before me then, I would have killed it instantly to feed my hunger.

Yet I did not because I could not. There was nothing near me, only Asmodeus, and he was so much stronger than I was. He held me still with nothing but the power of his mind.

He placed his wrist before me, and uttered the words almost as if it was a ritual of sorts: "Know this, my little Fledging, that I offer you my lifeblood of my own free will….Drink well, and join us…now and unto eternity."

And I did.

Now thinking back, I do wonder, how is it that vampyre blood can flow when the heart does not beat? I suppose that is one of the mysteries of this world I am not meant to know. And oh, if you wonder if we breathe, the answer is 'yes'. Again, don't ask me why, for I don't know.

After a short while, he told me to stop and I did. I was still weak, but no longer hungry. Then I followed Asmodeus as he led me to the Ceremonial Chamber. And he left me there.

It was a small room. She was there, waiting on yet another white fur divan. Next to the divan was a huge four-poster bed, and on that bed was my brother. He was dressed like me, in a pair of blood-red pants. But strange symbols adorn his skin. I knew without examining them that they were written in blood.

She bade me sit next to her on the divan. And I did. She pushed me back, until I was lying on my back and looking up at her. Her eyes were deep and dark, yet glowed with an eerie inner light.

I could not help but tremble at her touch.

"Do you know why you are here?"

I slowly shook my head.

"Your brother is very special. Do you know that?"

Again I shook my head.

"He is the one mentioned in an old prophecy...You need not know the details. He can change the fate of a world. With him on our side, we can take our rightful positions as the rulers of this world. We will no longer have to hide from the searing light of the sun…and with our powers, we can rule the earth.

"But we could not turn him," She hissed angrily into my ear. "His blood was poison to us, and we could not breach his personal shield into his heart and his mind to corrupt him from within….I have tried for almost two months and yet he remains closed to me, to us..."

Then she looked at me and smiled again. "So I went back again to the old texts, and found something else. That he has a protector, a keeper of sorts, who holds the key to his heart and mind…and you, my little Fledging, are now mine…and you will use the blood bond between the two of you to enter his heart and mind, and taint him from within, and turn your brother…for me."

She leaned closer to me, her hands stroking my hair and her lips whispering words in an ancient language that I could not understand. Then her fingers were poised above my lips and a single droplet of her blood landed on my tongue. I tasted the sweetness and swallowed it. I felt power coursing through me and I tried to reach out for more. She laughed as she entered my mind and started sorting through my memories. All I knew was hers for the taking.

Then she leaned closer still and with her lips next to my ear, she whispered instructions which I knew I would carry out to the letter. It went on for an hour, but I cannot even now remember what was said to me then. I can only recall her whispering, and whispering, and whispering.

I remember nothing.

Finally she was done, and she asked if I would do it for her.

I told her I would, and she laughed.

"Go, it is time." She said as the clock struck three. "Make sure he is fully turned by six."

I nodded in acquiesce and turned towards Joe.

He was lying there on the bed, looking so innocent. A part of me felt a little sad over what was to happen next, but it was not enough to stop me from doing what I was ordered to do. And She was still there in my mind, watching and blocking any resistance on my part even before it was formed.

I reached out with my mind, and soon I was in his. It was a beautiful place, Joe's mind, so full of joy and laughter and love. I saw memories of all the happy moments between Joe and me flash by, but I ignored them all at Her urgings. I continued to search for the very essence of his being; it was there that I was to plant the very first seed of darkness.

And so I searched and I searched….

Then finally there before me I saw.…

I cried.…

Still I reached out with my shadowed hands….

I guessed that God must be looking after his creation, for in the next instant, I was jerked back into my own body. I could hear Her screeching in anger in my mind.

I opened my eyes and saw two figures in the room, one male and one female. One held a sword while the other held a crossbow. I watched the entire battle dispassionately from the bed, right there next to Joe. I saw that She was hit by an arrow. Even so, it was clear to me that She was more than a match for the other two. I thought they would die there and then.

Then I heard something else. More people were entering this place. No, they were storming the place. I could hear faint words like 'FBI', 'raid', 'drop your weapons,' etc.

I saw Her turn and snarl at them in anger. And with one last glance at me and Joe, She left the room via the window.

The two did not chase. In fact, I could feel their relief.

Then the female walked up to us. And I looked up to see a pair of pale blue eyes staring back at me.

"…And you know what happened after that, Jana…" 

"Yes," Jana said. "You went for my throat…and Jonah almost killed you there and then."

"Perhaps he should have…why did you stop him?"

"Would you believe me if I said it was because of your sweet chocolate eyes?" Her tone is cheeky. "You know how much I love chocolates," she said with a shrug.

We sit side by side on my bed in silence for a while. Finally Jana reaches out and takes my hand in hers.

"Thanks for sharing with me," she said simply.

"Thanks for listening…."

She stands up and looks down at me, regret clear on her face. "One plus two equals three, three times three gives nine, and three plus three gives six…sorry…my thoughts have a tendency to run from me….I wish I could stay with you a little longer, Frank, but I must bring this information to my grandfather."

"I understand….Don't worry, I'll be all right. And I also want to check on Joe."

I watch as Jana shakes her head at me in that very unique way of hers. "Go…and I'll see you as soon as I'm done…and Joe's birthday is the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Yes…" I reply as I start to exit through the hotel window.

"And oh – Frank?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know who the Queen is?"

"No…"

"It's okay, don't worry about that…."

But something tells me that I do know. I frown and try to remember again, but all I can remember is a beautiful face with midnight eyes. I cannot recall Her name….

I suddenly feel very uneasy. Something's going to happen, I know. But I have no idea what that will be. I only know that the Queen has something planned. And I have a terrible feeling whatever Her plan is, it will be carried out at the very last minute, so that we have no time to react effectively.

I must not let that happen!

I swiftly make my way through town and up into Joe's room. He is sleeping, as expected. Then I clamber up to the roof to thank Jonah for his efforts. He tells me they dusted half a dozen vampyres that night. And like me, he feels that those are merely cannon fodder, sent to test our defenses.

As dawn approaches, I make my way to the tree house in the backyard. And there within the shelter of the four walls I helped Joe build, I let the horror and fear that I was not allowed to feel that night surface. It crashes over me like a tsunami does a seaside town. It tears through all the walls I have created over the past year to hold everything in. Then I let the shame and guilt – which I dared not let myself feel when I was telling Jana – rise. I face those emotions that I used to fear head-on, and I can feel my own self-loathing slowly fade away. I accept that there was nothing I could do that night.

Finally as the first ray of the morning sun breaks through the horizon, I go to rest in the ground below the tree house. The earth may not like me, but I can feel the wooden roots of the old tree surrounding me. I imagine them curled protectively around me, and take comfort in the memories it brings to me.

And most importantly, I am home.

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**Reviews please? **

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	8. The Story Part 4

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Jolly

Chapter 6

**The Story Part 4 **

It is still early in the evening. I am sitting at my usual spot on the roof, watching the activities in the small world spread out below me. The neighbors' kids who just finished their game of tag and are now rushing home for their dinner; and the fathers and mothers coming home after a day's work. I watch my father's car turn into our drive, and then follow him as he collects the mail before heading into the house for dinner.

It is strange isn't it, to know that they all remain unaware of the other world, the world that I exist in. We fight wars and humanity moves on with their lives, totally unaffected. With exception of a selected few such as the Van Helsings of course, whose job was to keep the other world in check.

You see, at the end of the day, humanity outnumbers them so much, that they must be wary and keep their existence secret. The inability to walk in daylight is also a great weakness of theirs. Any risks of exposure are quickly and ruthlessly taken care of.

This was the reason why the Queen had to leave that night when She could have easily killed the Van Helsing twins, given a little more time. But She had to make sure that the FBI did not find out about the vampyres. She did not want to risk exposure before She is ready.

She did come back after us later though, but I'll get to that later.

I suppose you are curious as to what happened after Jana and Jonah interrupted the ritual, aren't you? I don't mind telling you, though it may get a little confusing, since only half my mind will be on the story. My brother's safety will always take priority, you must understand that. And I will be continually scanning the environs for threats.

Now, let's start at the raid that night….

This part really is Jana's and Jonah's story.

Apparently, the Van Helsings and their allies have also been keeping an eye on Joe over the years. They found us when they followed the trail left behind when I was taken. Yeah, Jana said she placed a tracking spell on me just in case, after they realized that Joe was taken. They were caught by surprise that the enemy had even managed to find Joe in the first place. And they tracked me to the stronghold when I was taken. Unfortunately, they did not have enough resources to rescue us from the stronghold themselves, and they had to risk getting some extra help.

So they sent my father an anonymous tip-off to my location and let it out that I was taken by a slavery ring-cum-Satanic cult. It was an almost-truth anyway. The teens I saw in the afternoon that fed and cleansed me were really captives. Most of them were homeless and abandoned kids that no one cared about. The vampyres took them and kept them for both entertainment and for food.

And yes, those vampyres have their own human minions working for them in the day. Some of them were naturally loyal, but most of them were Revenants, bound to their respective vampyre-masters by a blood bond.

My father did not fail them. He and his longtime partner Sam Radley had instantly followed up on the lead and checked out the huge mansion and the grounds where I and Joe were held. They found out that the estate belonged to a man dead for the last few decades. They saw me via a telescope from a nearby hill through the windows as I walked down that artwork-lined corridor to see the Queen.

They also saw a good number of other teens about the place, some of them in chains. And with that evidence, my father pulled favors for an immediate full-scale FBI raid of the place. The raid took place some hours before sunrise. And the Van Helsings took that opportunity to come in for Joe. They had to guard him until sunrise, and then things would be easier once Joe left the grounds of the stronghold.

The raid freed many children, and the FBI was shocked by the magnitude of the 'slavery operation' that had been occurring literally under their nose. After all, the home of a high court judge was just three blocks away. They found Joe with some other kids soon after sunrise, in one of the little garden sheds located in a secluded corner of the sprawling estate. None of them remembered their time on the estate, of course. Several days later, they sent DNA confirmation of my remains to my family from a section of the estate that was totally burned down after an initial explosion. After the FBI went through the place, they thought they had stumbled upon a modern version of the Hellfire Club. They shook their heads at the depravity of human imagination, and soon moved on to other cases.

For your information, the Hellfire Club was a popular name for what was supposed to be an exclusive English Gentlemen's Club established in the 18th century, where members indulged in pseudo-Satanic rites and hedonistic activities.

My family was grieved by my death. I did to my parents what I did to Callie, I entered their dreams and dulled their feelings and pains. But Joe…I was so selfish. I still am. I cannot bear for him to distance himself from me like the others. His dreams offer me access to the sun that I can no longer see. So I keep going back to him for solace, and by doing so, Joe never really moved on either. In fact, he throws himself into his studies and tries to live my life for me in memory of me. I feel guilty every time I know he declines an outing or a game to focus on his studies. Unlike me, Joe has to work hard to make his grades. Still, I cannot make myself let him go. In his dreams I asked him to pursue his own dreams, but he insisted on pursuing mine. He claimed that is also his dream now. For me, he said.

He knew I always wanted to do Law at Harvard….

Yes I know, I know. I know that I had always planned to join my father's PI business eventually…so why would I need a Harvard Law degree? Call it pride, and like I said before, Pride cometh before the fall.

Okay, that's the story the Van Helsings managed to spin for the FBI and the public's eye. You know, if not for the fact their calling was to be hunters, the Van Helsing twins would have made great detectives. The way they set the scene and helped plant the evidence for the FBI was ingenious.

The vampyres were forced to collaborate on that story of course, unless they wanted to risk exposure, which they don't…and especially since there are really several versions of vampyre-run Hellfire Clubs around in New York City alone. Now don't ask me for them; I will not tell you. Trust me, it's too dangerous for you to venture there. And if you have a fetish and think it's cool to be a vampyre, just remember what I said about every single waking.

Once Joe was safely settled back home, the hunters [had set up a network around him. Jana and Jonah both enrolled in Bayport High so they can watch over him. And over the last year, they dusted a good number of vampyres that came after Joe, and rooted out a good number of vampyre nests around the region.

Now, back to what happened to me, shall we?

Ever play Pac-man? I know it's an old game. But I still find it entertaining nonetheless. Jana and Jonah hated that game after that night. Yes, that was what happened. They, together with Joe, were the mobile version of the 'fruit' that the Pac-man wanted to eat. The Pac-man represents the vampyres of course. And the 'ghosts' were of course the FBI agents swarming the estate.

After the Queen left to handle the damage control, she commanded me to attack them and I did. It happened as Jana said; I went for her throat and Jonah almost killed me. But Jana saved me. She stared at me in shock for an instant, then moved quickly to block Jonah's blade with her crossbow. That is, after she had me trapped in this very strange piece of webbing.

"That's Frank, Joe's brother," she told Jonah.

"He's turned," he said, but it was clear from his tone he wasn't expecting that.

"I know…." The disbelief was clear in her voice.

"Come on Jana, we don't have much time. You know the Queen will be back as soon as she's done hiding the evidence from those FBI agents."

"We can't leave him here Jonah; maybe we can use him...You got that charm?"

Jonah threw something across, but it was clear from his expression he wasn't happy with Jana's take on the matter. "You know that the effect's only temporary, right?"

Jana did not reply. She recited some words and next I knew, the Queen's directive vanished. I stopped struggling and Jana removed that webbed trap.

"Take your brother and follow us," she ordered.

Then all four of us made our way out of the window and up onto the roof. And just in time too, for the FBI agents rushed into that room just a minute later. All they saw was an empty room – as they were supposed to. Much later, they would find both my and Joe's fingerprints in that room.

Meanwhile, we made our way from the roof onto the estate grounds, all the while evading the FBI agents and also dusting a few vampyres on the way. I was only carrying Joe and following them, of course; while the other two did the fighting bit. We almost made it to the walls at the far end of the estate when the Queen caught up with us.

She tried to call me to her side, but that spell that Jana cast must have held, for I did not feel the need to oblige Her. She hissed in anger and turned to face the attack by the Van Helsing twins. They were good, but She's better.

"Help us!" Jana called out desperately to me.

And I did. I dropped Joe onto the ground and tried to attack Her. She flung me aside easily. It was a stroke of luck I landed next to a wooden stake. It must have belonged to one of the twins. My hand burned as I touched it. But that fiery pain also brought me back into full awareness in an instant, and everything that transpired that night came crashing down onto my newly awakened mind. The disbelief, the terror, the guilt…everything…. And finally the pain and the anguish as I took in the knowledge of what I almost did.

Most people in my position would have been shocked into inaction. But I saw instantly that I could not afford that blissful system shutdown. The twins were all that stood between Her and Joe…and they were losing. I watched for my opening, and knew I had only one chance. When it came, I grabbed that stake and ignored the pain as it burned through my dead flesh. I had hoped to stake Her heart, but I missed. The Queen must have sensed me and She moved at the very last second. The stake went through her shoulder instead. She growled in pain and then She turned on me. From the fury in her eyes, I knew I was done for.

Again, fate intervened, and I saw several other people dressed just like the twins come over the walls, fully armed with all sorts of strange weaponry. The Queen saw them, hesitated for the merest instant, and fled. And those people continued to chase after Her.

Obviously She escaped, that's why Joe's still in danger today.

The twins brought us to this little shed at the corner of the estate. There were several other kids sleeping there. They left Joe with them. By then, the sun was already rising. Jana packed some earth on my burned hand, took a lock of my hair, and then placed me in a thick black bag of sorts. And that was all I remembered from that night.

When I awoke the next night, Jana was there. She just sat there and watched me. At first I wondered why. Then what happened hit me. I went straight into denial, of course. Jana proved to me logically and functionally and step by step that everything that happened was real.

Trust me; you wouldn't want to go against that woman. She can be brutally and ruthlessly efficient and effective.

It was a painful experience, emotionally as well as physically. The Bible and the mirror and the fact that my heart was not beating and finally my own memories did their job most effectively.

How would you react if you woke up one day to find that you are dead and yet your body is still animated?

I experienced my first panic attack – full blown. But I did not get a heart attack from that. My heart no longer beats. I couldn't die from it. I am already dead.

And then to find out that I thirst for fresh blood….

I could hear Jana's heart beating. I could feel her blood flowing. I could smell the sweetness of her blood calling out to me. And I was hungry. I started to reach out for her when it suddenly hit me what I was about to do. I shrank back into my bed and struggled to control my craving.

I was horrified.

Next I remembered about Joe. What I almost did to him. The fate I almost consigned him to.

That was when I started to hate myself. The self-loathing that swept through me was so powerful, it left me drained.

How much can a man take within an hour?

I tried to kill myself.

Jana stopped me.

I begged her to kill me.

She refused.

I hated her.

Then after I fully exhausted myself, she started to talk. She told me about the vampyre world. She told me that I am not totally turned. That as long as I did not drink from an unwilling victim, there is still a chance I can regain my life. I did not respond to that. Then she told me about Joe being special. Just vaguely, but I didn't catch it then. And she told me that the Queen is still after Joe.

THAT got my attention.

She made me an offer. And I accepted.

Can you guess what that was about?

I let her bind me into her service of my own free will. In return, she promised that she would make sure that I harm no one, and she promised that she will teach me and help me protect Joe.

She teaches me how to survive and how to kill vampyres. She teaches me how to use my newly acquired skills and psychic abilities. She provides me with the weapons and knowledge of various spells. In the early days, I hunted with her and Jonah. She took care of my injuries when I got hurt. And when in need, both she and Jonah offered me blood of their own free will.

And as I gained more and more confidence in my own abilities, I spent less time with them and more time with Joe. Soon I was there in his room almost nightly.

So here I am sitting on the roof above Joe's room, guarding him, and protecting him.

And so now you know the whole story.

Ah, how time flies! It's now almost dawn!

Again I scan the environs. Please forgive me, but I am feeling nervous. I really am expecting something….

_'And you are right to… my Fledging…' _

I swivel around. There is no one there. I scan my surroundings repeatedly. There is nothing there.

Her laughter fills the air around me. Yet I cannot detect Her.

_'Ah my little Fledging, do you think you can escape me so easily? I've been watching over you for the past year…. watching you gain mastery over your skills…and now you are ready to serve me again.' _

And I watch myself stand up and I know that I will be heading down to Joe's room.

SHIT! "Frank?" 

That's Jana. She's just clambering up the roof towards me. She looks distracted.

I am torn between hope and fear. Hope that she will know what just happened to me for Joe's sake, and fear that I may harm her for her sake.

"Sorry I couldn't get here earlier. But there seems to be quite a few nests popping up around here."

I watch me nod in understanding.

Then she tilts her head to one side and frowns. "My brother needs me…I have to go….Will you be all right?"

"Of course," I watch me tell her. "Do you need help?"

"No…no…you stay and guard Joe." And then she left.

I want to yell at her to come back. I can't, of course.

Come on Jana, you bound me to your service….Can't you tell that something is not right? I tried to send a silent plea to her.

The Queen laughs again. And I find myself raising my own hand, so I can view the symbols on my wrist fade off one by one.…

Dread fills me.

_'Now go down to Joe's room….You know what to do this time…do not fail me…' _

I watch my brother wake up as he senses my presence. I watch the myriad of expressions flitter across his face as he switches on the light and sees me.

"Frank? Is that really you?"

I can hear the happiness in his voice and see the joy on his face.

"Yes," I watch me answer.

_Please Joe, it's not me, can't you tell it's not me? I'm dead, remember? …_But I kept going back to him in his dreams so he never really moved on…damn, damn, damn…

I am helpless. And my body carries out the Queen's directions.

"I know you're still around. They never found your body, Frank….And I can feel your presence; I know you're still around….Frank…why did you have to hide from me…?"

I watch me interrupt Joe and I watch what happens next in horrified fascination. Too late I understand the significance of needing to invite evil into your heart of your own free will. You see, we vampyres can always come and go in your house and in your mind. But you can always chase us out at any time if you have the right knowledge, skills and will power. But not when you let us in of your own free will.

"You're in danger, Joe. They're after you.…"

"Who are? What are you talking about?"

"I've no time to explain, Joe. Do you trust me?"

"Of course Frank, do you even need to ask?"

"Would you let me in to help you?"

"Of course Frank…whatever do you mean by…"

"Of your own free will Joe, of your own free will…"

"Yes, of my own free will, but…"

I watch me go straight into his mind. I can see Joe's surprised expression when he realizes the mental breach. And I watch helplessly as the Queen, through me, shuts him down literally.

And Joe collapses there and then at my feet.

Then I watch me carry him out through the window and head towards where the Queen awaits.

All the way, I wept without tears.

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	9. 7 Book 2

**Hope you enjoyed the conclusion to Book 1 in the previous chapter. This is the start to book 2, which you can see will deal mainly with the Queen. Cheerios!**

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**Guardian in the Dark **

**7 **

**BOOK 2 **

To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

_Proverbs 2: 16-19 King James Version _

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**The pm I got from Red Hardy (below) made it all worth the while since I wrote that chapter with a drippy nose and a headache hunched before a PC in the cold rainy day. Thanks for making the day BEAUTIFUL for me. I'm posting it here so it'll last as long as this site... and just so you know, its because of it that I also manage to finish The Story Part 4 ... which is also the conclusion to Book 1... and also with a drippy nose and lots of warm honey drinks...  
**

**Review for The Story Part 3:**

**WOW!!! You were absolutely right - this chapter did not need angst. Yet it was still EXTREMELY powerful! I felt like I was there, listening to Frank telling Jana what happened so dispassionately, so afraid to feel. **

**And the entire section where he described what happened that night was just chilling! It was scary to think he might have been able to turn Joe had those two not showed up in the nick of time. But I have a question... when the place was raided, is that where they (the police??) found Frank? Dead? And I'm so glad that by the end of the chapter Frank has realized he really had no control over what happened that night. Poor boy feeling so guilty and thinking he could have prevented it somehow... **

**I like that you put in the little piece about Callie:) It would be so like Frank to do that - let her know that it was okay to move on with his blessing... yet also have her stay in touch with Joe just so he could know she was happy. **

**I can't wait to find out who the Queen is. Again the only word I can come up with to describe Frank knowing who she is but blocking it on some level is... chilling! **

**Finally, a standing ovation for the ending to this chapter. So, so poignant and touching. I got tears in my eyes when I read it: **

**"Finally as the first ray of the morning sun broke through the horizon, I go to rest in the ground below the tree house. The earth may not like me, but I can feel the wooden roots of the old tree surrounding me. I imagine them curled protectively around me, and took comfort in the memories it brings to me. **

**And most importantly, I am home." **

**Absolutely BEAUTIFUL:)**


	10. Guilty Musings

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 8

Jolly

**Guilty Musings **

I wept, but no tears flowed. Perhaps it is befitting for me that I cannot cry like a normal human being. I am not human. Not anymore.

But perhaps I have never been truly human. I kill and my IQ is off the normal human charts….

_No you didn't… you only put the dead to rest… and Phil's IQ is equal to yours… _

But he cries; I never cry.

Yes you did…

Did I?

Did I?

I see an old memory flash by. It is of a dark haired child crying buckets of tears after a bad fall off a tree…and that child was me…me…me….

I wake up on a huge four-poster bed; my brother lies next to me. I can hear him breathe; I can hear his heart beat strongly next to me. What a stark contrast to my still and cold heart!

Thank God I am not hungry at the moment….

But I cannot help but feel my fangs itching. Do you know that fangs were my favorite little toy every Halloween as a child? But they are now the bane of my miserable existence.

I scan my surroundings, but cannot detect anything beyond the very comfortable windowless room we are in. I want to break free of the four walls that hold us prisoner. It was then I realized I cannot. I cannot move. The Queen must have placed a holding spell on me. Damn!

So I wait it out. I dread whatever She is planning, but what choice do I have but to wait? And Joe sleeps on right next to me. It's a good thing he sleeps. I am beyond dead scared of the moment he realizes what I am, if he was awake and alert.

How did I get here?

Oh yes, I was following the directives from the Queen and I carried Joe with me to a hearse parked in a secluded car park. I settled both of us into the comfortable-sized coffin contained within and closed the lid with my mind. And the hearse began to move. Soon, I slept, and I knew the sun had risen.

Dammit! Damn Her!

Then I heard Jana's voice as if in a dream telling me, _'She can still use you…' _

I should have known. How could I not know? We should have known! I knew I should have killed myself back then. Jana should have killed me when she had the chance.

Ah Jana, you should have dusted me when I begged you to.

And now here in the confines of our cell, unable to move but alert, my mind tormented me with the truth of my many crimes.

I betrayed my brother, not once but twice.

Twice I left him vulnerable, then led the enemy to him 

The first time was out of pettiness. I was envious of his generosity of spirit towards everyone, even more so than the fact that I was tired of pulling him out of scrapes. And truth be told, most of the really serious 'scrapes' were not even the result of him following his heart to help someone, but a result of one of Dad's or our enemies out for revenge. Bah! Hindsight is such a wonderful tool, don't you agree? I was petty and I abandoned him and THEY got to him. I was petty in feeling angry with him for caring so much for other people, even when I knew he cared for me most of all.

And now I understand just exactly how petty I was, and the consequences of my pettiness stagger me. You see, all human beings are selfish, some more so than others. But Joe is almost selfless. After a year as a living dead and seeing the other side and seeing things from the other side, I understand a lot more than I used to. He is compassion embodied, and he can see evil in no one. And when he says he will help, he goes all out to help. He is special in that way.

And in other ways; I am now glad Jana did not tell me. I shudder at the thought of what the Queen might do with that information. Well, maybe She already did know. Still, I did not want to be the one giving her extra knowledge if She didn't already have it.

That is why he needed a keeper and a protector. So he can concentrate on his goodness, while I, his keeper, can look after him. Now, I can see what all those skills and talents and IQ are for. God gave them to me for a purpose…and I wanted to use them to get me into Harvard Law School….

That is so terrible of me, isn't it?

The second time was out of selfishness. I could not let him go, and so I left him trapped in the past with the old me. In doing so, I left him open and vulnerable.

At the end of the day, Joe is still a detective, and one that's personally trained by my father too. Many people think that I did most of the work in solving all those cases, since I was the smarter one and also the more lethal one. What most people do not know is that I can only work on facts. And in the real world, sometimes there are just no facts. In fact, most times there are just no facts. I know; we want to believe in things like MO – a Modus Operandi. But the truth is exactly what Chris Rock said in one of his interviews regarding all the killings out there in this world: that last he checked, the word 'crazy' is still there in the dictionary. Yes, there are crazy people out there. And those people don't follow the rules of logic. People get robbed, they get killed, and they get kidnapped. There is not always a logical reason for those happenstances. And Joe excels in those sorts of daily bread and butter cases. He understands human nature like no one else, and he can easily get into those minds.

What I truly admire about him now, is that he, at the end of the day, can still feel empathy for what some of those criminals did.

I know. You all watch _CSI_ don't you? You enjoy how those investigators gather their forensic evidence and follow the clues logically and methodically to the real villains. You enjoy how the bad guys could never get away with their evil deeds, because they always left behind some tiny mistake. And _CSI_ always finds those material evidences and the bad guys get caught eventually.

I am sorry to have to break that illusion. _CSI_ 'stumbled' upon those few mistakes most of the time, even on TV. You'll see it there if you watch it with a more critical eye. And, there are a small number of cases that even Grissom cannot solve in the TV series. That's why I love that series; because that is realistic. And, if you watch carefully, you'll also realize that despite Grissom's insistence on the impartiality of pure evidence, there are many times when he or his team members make certain assumptions before they have the evidence. And with that assumption, they search for evidence to fit their hypothesis.

That's the reality of detective work. So you see, at the end of the day, pure logic and impartial evidence actually plays a very small part in bringing the bad guys to justice. And don't even get me started on the court system….

Ah, I was distracted again, wasn't I? Forgive me, but **_I_** needed that distraction.

Back to Joe. Yes, I was selfish. As I said, Joe is a detective. If not for the fact that I kept going back to him, he would never had harbored hope of my still being alive. Joe never believed I died, because he kept sensing me around him. It made it easy for him to trust me when he should have been skeptical the moment he saw me in his room in the middle of the night a year after I supposedly died. And I abused that trust he had in me sorely.

I led Her to him. Again.

That is a crime, a sin, a deed, that I can never ever forgive myself for. Ever.

As if I will ever have a chance to redeem myself! I would die a thousand deaths and serve an eternity in bondage if someone could come and save Joe now!

By God, Jana should have sensed something by now – that the bond she had over me was broken. The Van Helsings and their allies will be out there searching, I am sure. I know my father and our friends will have noted that Joe is missing again and initiate a search. There is no way Joe would disappear on his birthday involuntarily. The question is: will they find Joe in time? I really hope so.

I know that Jana can no longer track me. I watched those runes burned off me, and felt the Queen's mind invade mine. The last time She dulled my thoughts and left me in a half-dreamy state. I know this time, She intends to let me remember every single detail of what happens next, and feel every single milligram of the weight of every single action I carry out. She knows that is the worst torture She can impose on me. And how right She is! Nothing's started yet, and I am already drowning in dread and fear of what is to come.

The door opens.

I can feel Her in my mind again. I shiver as Her soft laughter echoes hollowly through my skull. I climb out of bed and carry my brother with me as She directs me to. It seems this time I am to do everything personally….

We are in a small courtyard. I can see the three-story Victorian styled building surrounding us. Tonight's ritual will take place in the open night air and in the privacy of another private estate. She sits on Her favorite fur divan. She waves her hand towards a small pool located in a corner of the courtyard. And there I bathe my brother in the rose-scented waters and dress him in that same old pair of blood-red pants. Then I do the same for myself. And then I lay Joe down in the centre of the pentagram located in the centre of the courtyard, and kneel next to him. Finally I lift my head to face the Queen.

She smiles approvingly at me and I can feel the chill in my bones.

"Well done, Frank."

"Thank you, my Queen."

She had to make me thank Her publicly!

"I see your brain has been doing a lot of thinking, Frank….So, do you know who I am? Do you remember?"

I relish that tiny bit of freedom She gave to me at that short moment and take the opportunity to test Her hold on me. I push hard mentally against her hold on me and work to build a shield of sorts.

It didn't work. She blasts through my shields as if they were paper. I can only move within the parameters She permits me….Still, I have to try, and hear Her laugh at my puny efforts.

"Lilith….You're Lilith," I finally answer Her.

Her smile grew wider. It is the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, and also the scariest.

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	11. Lilith

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**Guardian in the Dark **

Chapter 9

Jolly

**Lilith **

Lilith, first wife of Adam, the first Man God created.

Or so some scholars believed. No one really knows what exactly the true story is. As far as I can remember from my readings…yeah, another of those weird habits of mine. I read anything and everything, and I remember almost everything.

I am a scary person, aren't I?

Anyway, both Adam and Lilith are created out of the same dust by God. The Genesis Rabbah states that both are fashioned out of the same clay. And Eve is created later from Adam's rib. So, what happened in between the time when Lilith is created and when Eve is created? No one really knows. But there are some general beliefs. It is believed by some that Adam and Lilith bickered and refused to get along with each other. Adam feels he is superior because he was created first, and Lilith claims equality since she was fashioned out of the same clay as Adam. In the end, Lilith leaves Adam.

It is not clear what happened after that. Some accounts said that after Lilith left, Adam complained to God that the woman God give him left. The Lord sends three angels to bring her back but she refuses to return, she would rather let a hundred children die every day (I know that doesn't make sense, but who knows what knowledge is lost over time?). An Armenian account claims that Lilith transforms into a snake and runs away with Satan himself. During the middle ages, Lilith is linked to Asmodeus, the King of Demons, as his Queen and that their demonic offspring spread chaos wherever they go.

I am inclined to believe that most recent account is possibly closest to the truth for obvious reasons, even though the Asmodeus I met is certainly no King of Demons. It is clear that Lilith wields true power here. Then again, who really knows what the truth is?

Still, none of that information tells me why Joe is so important to Her.

"Would you like to know what happened?" Lilith asks me.

Of course, who wouldn't? I can even name a number of academics who would give their souls to be here now. As for me, the more information the better, since I may actually come across something I can use. And to be honest, a small part of me is truly curious.

She lay back comfortably onto her divan. I remained kneeling next to my brother.

"Yes, I was created mere seconds after Adam and made out of exactly the same materials. I loved him from the moment I set my eyes on him…"

Her eyes take on a faraway look, then harden.

"The first few days were pure bliss. Then he developed an attitude problem. He kept insisting he was better, the more superior one, and insisted that I must serve him and submit to him…and when I refused, he went to God Yahweh and asked for a more amicable woman as his wife. And Yahweh created Eve out of a rib of his. She was such a docile little thing, almost brainless too. But he fawned over her…"

She laughs bitterly.

"I was furious. So I tricked Eve into eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It was good to see Eve with some brains. And I tricked her into serving Adam the fruit from the tree of life. They were both expelled from Eden for their transgressions….And I, I took a fruit from the tree of life and walked out of Eden, never looking back."

Lilith turns to look at me and I obediently lift my hands. One of her handmaidens placed a small bowl in my palms. I can smell the blood in that bowl. I dip my fingers into the bowl and start to trace strange symbols onto Joe's torso and arms.

She continues with Her tale. "I came into this world, Earth. It was full of many different species of humanoids…but none of them are truly sentient or intelligent. Nevertheless, I began to create my offspring and to populate Earth with my creation.

"I suppose you can guess the effects of eating the fruit from the tree of life, can't you?" She asks me.

"It gives you eternal life at a cost," I reply to her.

It made you a vampyre, I thought.

Lilith looks at me, a hint of respect in her eyes. "Yes, I can live forever, but I need to feed on blood, I cannot face the sun for long, and I cannot bear children…and my creations cannot stand sunlight."

The pain in her voice was palpable. She looked hurt and vulnerable, but only for a moment. Then Her face hardened again, and Her anger came to the fore.

"But at the end of the day, it is still Eve's children who inherited the Earth….And Adam stayed with her till the day she died. He grieved for her….The children that Eve bore for Adam were all fertile. They could walk in the sun; they could eat the fruits from the earth and the fish from the waters. They inter-breed with the existing humanoids, and create the multiple races of people that populate this world. In the end, I still depend on Eve's children to propagate my kind…."

I watch from the corner of my eyes as Lilith got up and began to pace restlessly about the pentagram. It is clear that She is becoming equally agitated and excited.

"But that will soon change…" 

She sounds happy…and her happiness chills me to the core. This is about Joe. I know what She is going to talk about next concerns my brother, who is currently lying helpless next to me, oblivious to everything that is going on around him.

_How am I going to get him out of this one?! _

"As I already mentioned, the roots of Humanity begin with Eve. Since then, there were many ages of man. First was the Age of Chaos. It was a terrible primeval time, but it was also a simple time. Next was the Age of Might – when the strongest ruled over those who were weaker. After that was the Age of Intelligence…I suppose you are familiar with Greek mythology?"

She laughs as I nod. I might as well entertain Her. The longer I can drag this out, the more chance I have of the others finding Joe. Of course I know I am lying to myself. She is merely waiting for the appointed time to start the ritual. Joe was born at the same hour as I was. Interesting, isn't it?

"Yes, the first three Ages do mirror that, don't they? Chaos, Titans, and then the gods of Mt. Olympus…and let me tell you a truth: there really was an Age of Titans, that's where the fossils of dinosaurs come from. But there are no remains of the titans…well…let's say Humanity was a little different back then. Then came the greatest Age of all: the Age of Magic. That was when the sorcerers of Atlantis ruled the Earth, and when dragons filled the skies with their death-defying flights, and unicorns raced the lush green fields. All too soon that was gone and Atlantis vanished beneath the waves overnight. Then came the dark ages, or the Age of Superstitions, when what remained of humanity still remembered the greatness of the golden age, but no longer had the knowledge to live that life. Humanity started all over again, and slowly civilizations rebuilt themselves. And this current age you are in, Frank, is the Age of Enlightenment. Humanity has discovered a different sort of magic altogether, and they call it science. It's still in its infancy though…and now I suppose you want to know how and where your brother fits into all this?"

_Yes, I do. _

"Before the coming of each age, God Yahweh sends one of his personal angels into the world born as a flesh and blood human. This special person will plant the seeds that will give rise to the next Age…"

_I know Joe is special! _

"Every single one of them was born into an ordinary family as an ordinary person. And they left their almost invisible marks, the impact seldom felt until long after they left Earth. Ah, I see you are wondering about Jesus…Yeshua Ben Pantera was the bastard son of a Roman mercenary, no more. The real one has come and gone, and planted the seed for the current age of science…and now it seems God Yahweh has sent another to plant the seed for the next age. And no, Frank, I have no idea what God Yahweh intends the next Age to be… but I do know that the coming Seventh Age WILL be the Age where MY children will gain dominion over Eve's and rule over Earth at last…and with your help, my little Fledging. With your help…"

I listen as Lilith laughs, "…and for your information, the Van Helsings now have their hands full with the multiple distractions I provided them. As for your father, you better hope he doesn't find us, for his sake."

I feel despair fill my being.

But no, I will never help Her willingly…

I know She chooses to ignore that comment of mine. Why bother with rhetoric? She walks over and watches me trace the final symbol on Joe's arm. Then She bends down and ruffles Joe's hair like I used to do. I hate that. It makes me feel like She tainted a treasured moment of intimacy and innocence between me and Joe.

"You have very neat handwriting, Frank," She says to me as She examines my work.

I admit I am thrown off centre by that comment.

"You know, my little Fledging, this is the first time I ever managed to get my hands on a chosen. Thanks to you, Frank."

If I could cry… 

"All the others, I discovered them too late; most of them already accomplished what they were sent to do and had returned to their heavenly realm. The only other one I found in his lifetime, he was a full-grown adult by then, and I could not force his will. Nor could I tempt him into joining me of his own free will. But this one, this one has yet to come to his purpose, and I will take over his free will at the hour of his birth."

She tilts her head at me and asks, "Can you guess why the nineteenth birthday is the last possible day to subvert free will, Frank?"

I stare at her blankly for a moment, and then my mind automatically searches for a plausible answer.

"The number 19 is not just a prime number; it is also the hexagon of the hexagon-star pair that appears in the heart of Genesis 1:1. Nineteen is the basis of the Grace manifest holograph, and relates to the idea of Flesh and Physical Manifestation. One can interpret it as: 19 is when one comes of true age…"

"Very good, Frank. So now you can guess what I intend for Joe…but you are also an interesting creature, you know that? A protector turned betrayer…and one skilled beyond expectations."

My soul, whatever remains of that, shrivels at her proclamation.

"At barely a day old, you staked me. Then within the next six months, you dusted five of my eight elite guards, all of which were centuries old. I am most impressed with the way you hunted down Asmodeus and staked him. Asmodeus was my oldest and most wily elite….It is true that you had help from the Van Helsings, but through the centuries, none of their hunters even came close to this feat. So the question is, what do I do with you later? Clearly, killing you to avenge the deaths of my beloved elites will be too easy on you."

I can feel my breath getting choked in my throat. This is not good, not good at all...I have a vengeful vampyre queen pissed off at me…

_Crap. _

Why am I even bothering to try to keep a civil tongue?

_Shit. _

"I considered turning you totally, and have you replace Asmodeus..."

_I will never kill nor force myself on an unwilling victim for blood… _

"Ah….But if I am to drain you? And then lock you in a room with a young and tender child?"

Oh my God…please don't…and not a child… 

"But don't worry, Frank. Like I said, that would be too easy on you. I'll let you keep what is left of your soul for the time being, so that you can be fully aware of all your actions, yet helpless against it. That will hurt you more, will it not? And after you turn your brother, I'll even let you continue as his bodyguard, so you can watch over every thing he will do, and also help him achieve his goals. And at the end of the day, when you do finally choose to give up your humanity totally, rest assured that it will be of your own free will…."

Lilith is now towering over me; Her dark eyes lock with mine.

_Is there anything out there colder than the Arctic ice? _

Then She turns and strides elegantly back to Her divan.

"Now, we still have some time before the start of the ritual…why don't you tell me what you know about the Van Helsings, Frank?"

_Oh no… please don't make me…. _

I can hear her cruel sympathetic laughter fill the night air. Can She feel sympathy? But Her voice is so sickeningly sweet as it coils itself about me, and bends me to Her will.

"Tell me all you know about them, Frank. Their past, their knowledge, and their hideouts…"

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	12. The Van Helsings

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**Guardian in the Dark **

Chapter 10

Jolly

**The Van Helsings **

Broken.

Empty.

That is how I feel now.

I just told her everything I know. I betrayed them all. First my own brother, and now the only people who helped me survive my past year and helped protect my brother.

_I'm so sorry, Jana, so sorry… _

I have but one consolation. I really do not know much about the Van Helsings. I only know the twins, and I have met some of the other hunters occasionally. I have never seen anyone else in that family or bloodline. I never met the Grandfather that Jana and Jonah mention every so often. And short of the place where the twins stayed as they enrolled in Bayport High, I have no idea where their true dwelling places are.

And now I am truly grateful they never trusted me. I am untrustworthy.

But Jana and Jonah, and those few hunters I met will be in danger. Lilith now knows about them. She knows about their strengths and weaknesses as I perceive them. And soon She will be sending me after them.

_Are the twins good enough to take me down? _

I hope so.

_Please God, let them be good enough! _

Suddenly Lilith is right before me again. She gently touches my face, and turns me to face Joe.

"It is time, my Fledging."

I start to hyperventilate. I am not ready for this, and I gag at the feel of Her within my mind.

My attempts to prevent Her entry by throwing up mind shields as Jana taught me fail miserably. My shields don't even last three seconds. She just walks in as if my mind is her home. It is Her home; I can still feel that single drop of blood coursing through my veins and chaining me to Her will. Still I battle hard against her control of me; I hit out at the walls She creates to hold me in. I claw at them till my psychic hands are raw to the bone and bleeding profusely. But I remain still trapped by Her will.

Then to my horror and shame, She awakens Joe.

I watch his eyelids flutter open, and then his eyes slowly focus on me.

"Frank? What happened?" Joe asks me.

She does not permit me to answer him. Not that I have any idea how to answer [to him. So I wait in trepidation as he slowly becomes aware of his surroundings. I watch the incredulity form in his eyes when he realizes he is being held immobile by invisible chains. And I watch fear seep into his eyes as he realizes that the symbols on him are written in blood, as the coppery scent hits his nostrils.

"Frank…what's going on?" My heart bleeds at that hint of panic in his voice.

Next I know, Lilith is standing behind me, Her hands on my shoulders. I know Joe can see us both clearly.

"Show your brother what you are, Frank," She commands me.

And I obey that command. But I keep my eyes averted. I cannot bear to see Joe's reaction when he sees me for what I am. A sharp indrawn gasp tells me all I need to know….

"Know this, chosen one, that it is your own brother who delivered you unto me," Lilith tells Joe, and then She turns to me. "Now, my Fledging…turn your brother for me."

_Forgive me, brother… _

I stand at the edge of my mind, ready to take the leap into Joe's. I can almost feel the Queen shaking Her head in mock resignation at my continuous but almost insignificant attempts to thwart Her efforts.

I can feel the desperation arising in me. I really do not want to do this, but what can I do? What else can I do? I tried and I tried and I cannot break free of Her hold over me…

To my surprise, I find that I cannot leave my own body. Something is holding me and preventing me from going over to Joe's. Needless to say, I feel relief and gratitude for whatever that is helping me out at the moment. Then I hear her calling out to me…

'No Frank, you don't want to do that.'

_Jana… _

Lilith snarls at her.

And in my mind's eye, I see two women facing down each other. It is a strange feeling, standing there in this battlefield that your mind created, and seeing the events as they transpire right there within you.

"He is mine!" Lilith snaps at Jana. "I have already broken the binding spell you had over him."

Jana laughs. Her gentle laughter is a sweet, light breeze brushing by me, and also a soothing balm to my bruised soul.

Lilith looks confused by Jana's actions.

"He gives himself to my service of his own free will, Lilith. After that, the binding spell is clearly mere formality.…"

_Dare I feel relieved? _

Lilith's eyes glitter eerily in the dark moonless night. I can almost see the hell fires burning in their depths.

Then I feel Lilith make another tentative move to regain control of me, and watch Her frown.

_Why is She being so tentative? _

After another two tentative attempts that Jana blocks fairly competently, She suddenly laughs cruelly.

"Oh Jana, Jana…how could you? That was an interesting strategy, my dear girl, but it will only buy you a little extra time…a one-way bonding is not a very strong bond. You should know that, Jana."

_What? What did Jana do? _

"You bound your heart to him…a gift that even he did not realize….Oh you foolish girl, don't you know that men are never to be trusted? Will he return your gift, even if I didn't already own him? You will die in his place and he will move on with the other woman."

I stare at Jana in shock. _What?! _

But Jana merely smiles pityingly at the Queen. I do not understand why. Neither apparently, does Lilith.

"I loved him since I first saw him that summer when I was twelve and he was thirteen. Surely you understand that feeling of first love and only love? You shared that with Adam once upon a time….But I truly love him, and unlike you, I expect nothing in return. And I will help him achieve what matters most to him in life, because I love him…do you understand that, Lilith?"

For a moment, it looks like Lilith may empathize with Jana. Then She must have decided to focus on Her long years of barrenness….

"You can hold him but for a moment, Jana!" Lilith growls at her. "And after I burn your soul into nothingness, he will once again be mine, and ready to do my bidding."

I stand helplessly by as they battle on my mind-field, and I can tell that Jana is losing. Yet I cannot move in to help her. The Queen's hold over me holds, despite my efforts to break free. And I am quickly exhausting my reserves of strength. Believe me, mental battles are much more strength-consuming than physical ones.

_Damn me, damn me to hell… _

Suddenly the world around us stilled and everyone stood as if frozen as the clock struck nine.

Too late the Queen realizes Jana's true intent.

Jana was never here to win the fight, only to buy time.

With a single burst of psychic energy, Lilith shoves Jana out of my mind. I can see that Jana has taken a really bad hit. I can feel her agony, but there is nothing I can do for her.

Lilith has at that moment taken over control of me again, and next I know I am again standing at the threshold of Joe's mind.

_Come on Joe, surely you can block me somehow…especially if you are who She believes you are…. _

I see Joe's mental walls loom high before me. I navigate past that confidently. I did it once before about a year ago. Joe's mind is beautiful, just like when I was here last. However, this time I am drowning in dread and horror at the sight before me. I was expecting the need to search, like before, and that would take up even more precious time. But instead I find myself standing right before the very essence of his being. The light of his soul shines bright and clear.

_Damn…I forgot there must be a reason why God gave Joe a protector….Why? Nothing here makes sense. But no, don't think, Frank, don't think….There is clearly something here that Lilith doesn't know, and you don't want Her to know through you. _

And there, right in the centre of the bright flaring light sits a little box. I can tell that Lilith is as surprised as I am over that mysterious box. She pushes past me to reach for the box, only to shrink back in pain.

So She sends me in next.

I fight against that directive with everything I have. But in the end, I still reach out for that box. It feels warm and comforting in my palms. I open it as Lilith tells me to, and I see…

I can hear Her screech in anger somewhere behind me. But I ignore that; I continue to stare at what is there nestling comfortably in that box. I have no idea what it is, but it is beautiful, and it comforts me like nothing else I know.

Lilith tries to take the box from me, but Joe stops her. I stare at my brother as he comes in between me and Her.

She cannot get past him.

"Your soul may now be safe from me, but your brother's still mine," Lilith says as She reaches for me instead.

"No," Joe contradicts Her. "His soul is mine…mine to guard and mine to protect." With that, he pushes Her out of his mind. I can see Her shocked and furious expression.

The little box in my hands closes and returns itself to its former position. Then I feel Joe's essence surround me comfortingly for an instant. I wish I could stay there forever. Then I find myself being gently returned to my body.

But not before I saw the flash of intense pain that Joe tries to hide from me.

I force my eyes open as quickly as I can. The sight before me sends terror into my heart. Joe is bleeding profusely from a wound to his left torso, and I can see that Lilith is preparing to hit him with a death blow. I move swiftly, placing myself in front of Joe. The pain is excruciating…but at least Joe is safe…for a while more.

Lilith's face blazes with fury, then it suddenly turns cruel.

To my horror, She commands me to kill Joe instead.

I instinctively steel myself for a losing battle against Her will, only to realize that I no longer feel the compulsion to carry out that directive. I can almost feel Joe smiling behind me, and I know he blocks that directive somehow. I certainly can feel his hand resting comfortingly on my shoulder.

Now I can appreciate the word 'exhilarated' fully.

I can feel Her fury now, but somehow it does not terrify me as it did before. I guess I don't feel quite so alone anymore, knowing that Joe is behind me, and that he's always with me.

_Even unto death… death? Death. _

And Lilith towers over us both; the fires of hell burn in Her undead eyes. Before She can come down on us, a couple of arrows whiz past, forcing Her back. The arrows continue to fly, forcing Her further away from us.

I turn my head and see Jana and Jonah rushing towards us, crossbows in their hands. And I note with some concern that both of them are injured. And Jana, Jana is definitely not in good shape. She looks pale and shivery, but there is no mistaking that determined glint in her eye.

_She came for me. _

That knowledge warms my cold heart. I hope I will have the chance to talk to her about that.

Behind them is an older stocky man in his late thirties. I wonder who he is; I've never seen this particular hunter before. And the way he moves, the way he moves….Then I hear Jonah calling him 'Gramps.'

When Lilith makes another attempt at us, it is the older man who intercepts Her death blow and flings Her away from us. It is clear that I am not the only one who is taken by surprise by his appearance. Lilith clearly fails to expect another vampyre like me on the Van Helsings' side.

I feel my brother struggling to get up from behind me, and I turn to help him. Then we join everyone else in watching the tableau as it unfolds before us….

"You…" Lilith whispers, but her words carry easily across the silent night air. "I searched for you for centuries, but never found a trace of you."

"It's over, Lilitu. His nineteenth birthday was over a year ago. You did not successfully turn him then, and I doubt if you can ever tempt him to join you again…and you know he can only be turned once," the stocky man whom Jonah calls 'Gramps' said to Her.

Lilith stares at that stocky man for a long time, and when She finally talks, Her tone is dead and flat, "Adamah…it's been a long time since we last met…but I see you are still against me…."

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	13. Guardian in the Dark

* * *

**Guardian in the Dark **

Chapter 11

Jolly

**Guardian in the Dark **

_Adamah….Adam? Adam Van Helsing? _

Now that is sort of unexpected. I suppose that it is only fitting that Adam is the Patriarch of the Van Helsing clan. That explains in part the incredible athletic capabilities that Jana and Jonah possess.

Now that I know, I cannot help but to wonder: how 'human' are the Van Helsing twins? I know they are certainly no vampyres. They eat, drink, and can clearly walk in the sunlight. It seems there is much that I do not know. Not that I am particularly interested in any answers at this moment, since we are all clearly still in great danger.

Lilith looks even more pissed off now than before.

I certainly do not want to be in Adam's shoes at the moment.

I know this sounds selfish, but I am glad to be out of that crazy woman's radar for a moment. I am glad She is focusing on someone else for a change. The last few hours since sunset have been very draining for me. So draining I am not even thinking of making Her pay for what She put Joe through. Yes, it is that bad an experience. All I want now is to get away from here, find a nice quiet corner somewhere and get some brotherly time with Joe. And have a heart to heart talk with Jana.

But first, we have to get out of here alive. And honestly, the odds look really bad for us. One doesn't need to be an Einstein to figure out that it is unlikely for Adam to outfight Lilith. It is clear to me that Adam has been surviving on blood from the blood bank like me. Lilith, on the other hand, is fully powered by the fresh blood consumed daily from unwilling victims.

On top of that, I and Joe and the twins are all fairly seriously injured. There is also another matter of serious concern, and that is me. Yes, me. I am losing blood from the wound I sustained when I took the blow from the Queen on Joe's behalf. That means I will soon hunger. Even now, the scent of fresh blood from Joe's, Jana's and Jonah's wounds tempts me.

Pardon me saying, but we are in deep shit.

"You knew, Adamah. You knew it is the elder that is the chosen, yet you let me believe otherwise," Her tone is scathing.

_What?! _

"You made the wrong assumptions, and misunderstood various passages in the old texts, Lilitu. And you must admit that is the best protection for Frank, given that you were so focused on the younger brother."

I glare at Adam. I want to wipe that smile off his smirking face.

_He deliberately placed Joe in the line of fire and he dares to smile?! _

"You tricked me," She growls.

"You misinterpreted the ancient texts, Lilitu," Adam counters.

And then, as She takes in the sad state that we are all in, She laughs gleefully.

"You may have won this round, Adamah, but I do not think that you will be able to walk out of here alive. So tell me, what do you think will happen if the chosen never fulfils his task?"

I can see all the vampyres around us moving closer. I do not have to count to know that there are too many of them for us to handle, even if we were all in peak fighting condition. And it is clear that they are only awaiting the order from their Queen.

Adam looks surprisingly relaxed given the gravity of the situation we are in.

"I really have no idea what God Yahweh will do, Lilitu….But if you have any care for your creations at all, I suggest you tell them all to back off now," Adam comments in a bored tone.

What is he up to?

I know I am not the only curious one. I can hear a number of vampyres snickering. Even Lilith is shaking Her head in amusement.

"Oh? Tell me, why should I? You are clearly handicapped, outnumbered, and in my territory, Adamah. As far as I can see, I hold all the cards." Lilith points out the facts before turning to face me with an offer. "Maybe Frank will want to consider joining me of his own free will in exchange for his brother's and the twins' freedom and lives."

Forgive me, but that offer looks tempting at the moment. If they can survive today, they can return to fix the problem at a later date. And I do remember Jana saying Joe is capable of taking me down…

_'Don't you even dare consider that option!'_ Two voices fairly scream in my mind.

That was Joe and Jana of course. I am touched by their concern, I really am. But one must be practical. It makes no sense for us all to perish here today.

_'Don't be selfish, Frank!' _Joe snaps at me_. 'You're not going to have me fail spectacularly and utterly at my job on my first official hour at work, are you?' _

I have to smile at that. So classic Joe. Only he can crack a joke in a serious situation like this one. I can sense he is extremely irate at me. For some reason, I feel happy. Sort of.

Do you think I am finally cracking?

Adam's laughter cuts through my musings. He sounds confident. I suppose that is a good thing. I certainly hope he has some tricks up his sleeve.

"Ah Lilith, if you read the ancient texts properly, you will remember one particular verse that states that the true guardian in the dark leads the way home with the Light of Creation…"

I watch Lilith and a number of the older vampyres taking several steps away from us almost instinctively as they throw anxious glances at Joe and exchange worried looks with each other.

"You do know what I am talking about, don't you, Joseph?" Adam asks Joe.

"Of course." Joe's response is quick and firm.

Almost.

I think Lilith senses that too. I only hope it's not because of me.

_Is it? _

I sigh. I think it's going to be a long while before I even trust myself again….

Lilith laughs contemptuously. "Good try Adamah…but I do believe that young guardian of yours has no idea what you are talking about."

And She gives the signal to attack.

They swarm over us. I try to go to Joe's aid, but there are just too many of them. Without a proper stake, I can only delay them, not dust them. Without gloves, I can't wield a proper stake effectively even if there are some before me now. Which there are - in the form of wooden crossbow bolts.

Suddenly, I sense something. I know all the vampyres sense it too, for they all go still. We all turn and see the same thing. The vampyre before Joe vaporizes, just like that. And I know that Adam has stated the truth regarding the true guardian. I can still see the shock on Joe's face as he stares wonderingly at his palm.

Joe closes his palm and then slowly lifts it up above his head. Then he hesitates.

"Go on, kill them," Lilith orders Her underlings with a vicious laugh. "The guardian will not wield the light of creation…not if he values his brother's life…"

_Don't be a fool, Joe! _

They swarm over us again. No, they all stay clear of me but target the others.

_Just do it!_ I beg Joe.

"Do it Joe, do it now," Jana screams at Joe. "Frank will be all right, I promise you…just do it now!"

A radiant brilliance fills the courtyard.

It blinds me with its glory; it burns me with its incandescent rays.

The sight is beautiful beyond words; the pain is all-consuming beyond description.

But only for the tiniest moment. Then darkness befalls me. It actually takes a while for me to realize that Jana has thrown something over me to shield me from the light. That is how bad the pain is.

I can hear screams of terror and agony about me. Very soon, most of those fade off into silence, except for one. And that is me. The pain within me is twofold, one for the burns from the light, and second is the agony from the need to feed.

I hunger.

I struggle to extricate myself from whatever Jana entrapped me in. I can hear voices shouting something. But I am too far gone to decipher what they are talking about. I only know I need to get free to feed.

I can feel arms working to hold me down firmly, and a female voice chanting. Soon, I fade off into blissful darkness….

It is the excruciating agony of my hunger that greets me when I finally awaken. I strive to overcome the waves of pain that wash constantly over me. To that extent, I am partially successful. That logical and methodical part of me retreats into a small corner of my mind. And from there, I watch the rest of me struggle helplessly and ferociously against the chains that hold me captive. I hate to see myself in that state, looking more a beast than a man.

I turn away from that image of me. Instead, I scan the room I am in. It is a small grey place. I note the runes that decorate the four walls, and I know I will not be able to leave this room, even if I break my chains.

_Why? Why did they put me here? Why did they continue to starve me? _

I almost fear the answer.

Then I hear voices just outside the door. There are two persons speaking. I recognize one of the voices as Joe's. The other sounds familiar…it sounds so familiar…

I tune into the conversation. I feel like an eavesdropper. I am an eavesdropper. But I am tired of being in the dark, in all senses of that word.

"He did very well…and it's almost over."

"Has he ever failed you, my Lord?"

My Lord?

"No. Never."

"I know…many find it difficult to trust him because he is so different from them…but I can assure you, my Lord, that his loyalty to you is unquestionable."

"I am well aware of that fact, Seraphim Mika'el."

_Mika'el?_ I must admit, this conversation is as fascinating as it is enlightening.

"He has suffered…this was supposed to be my duty and my burden."

"You have done well, Mika'el, in your last five human incarnations… But this one is different….This is a much darker task, and Abbadon volunteered on your behalf."

"Without consulting me…" 

"He did not want you to risk getting tainted, when he considers himself already so, since his love for books has taken him oft to the other side. You know that he is as protective of you up there as down here and considers you his sole true friend and brother."

"His IS my best friend and my brother, my Lord. And he takes THAT BOOK too seriously….Revelations 9:11, Angel of the Abyss…"

I can almost see Joe shaking his head in disgust.

"He does that, doesn't he? He reads too much, and you, Mika'el, read too little…"

"Abbadon takes it upon himself to summarize everything he reads for me, My Lord. As a result, unlike him, I can afford to be highly selective in my readings…"

"I will try to believe that, Mika'el."

"Too many are not aware that he ranks far above them; they assume him a mere angel of the third hierarchy when he is Seraphim, the highest ranking of the First Angelic Hierarchy…"

"He wishes it that way, Mika'el."

"I know that, my Lord."

"It is good that this entire debacle with Lilith will soon come to an end."

"She got away, my Lord…but my Lord, I can understand what drives her to this…"

"You are always compassionate, Mika'el….It is true both Adam and I must take a portion of the blame for what happened…and soon everything will be set aright once more. Do you have faith in My Will to see it done?"

"Of course I do, my Lord."

"You know what to do next, Mika'el."

"Yes, My Lord. I am his second life…and I won't remember this, will I?"

"No, you will not…not until you return to Me. Go Mika'el, and fulfill your purpose."

The door opens and I see Joe walk in. The door closes behind him.

I do not know why, but the tiny bit of logical me wants to pull back in terror of what is to come, while the hungry, bestial me strains against the chains to reach out for him.

I hate it that he sees me in this state!

I can hear his heartbeat echoing loudly in this small chamber. The ebb and flow of his fresh blood beckons to me.

_Please Joe, don't do what I think you're about to do… _

He stands before me. And then he speaks; his voice clear and firm:

"I offer you my blood of my own free will, take it freely and be healed. I offer you my lifeblood of my own free will, as is my birthright. Take it freely and return to the light."

_No, don't… _

He reaches out to release the chains…

The bestial me instantly jumps at him. Sheer terror almost paralyzes me. I do not know from whence I draw the strength; perhaps it is merely sheer willpower drawn out of pure desperation. But I manage to tame the hungry beast for but an instant. I wrench myself away from Joe and retreat into the far corner of that tiny room.

"Please. Joe. Get. Out. Now." I somehow manage to force out those few words.

But Joe continues to move towards me.

"Come, Frank, take what is freely offered of my own free will, as is my birthright…"

I now know what a desperate cornered animal feels like.

_Joe, please, don't do this to me… _

_'Take what I freely offer, Frank, and live…' _

With a wail of despair, I give in to my hunger, and take up the sweet offering.

The fresh blood flows through my body, replenishing those dry and starved cells within me. The feeling is addictive, and I feast on voraciously, too far gone to even hate myself for it.

I feel his heart slow: still I continue my feast.

I can hear gentle murmurings in my ear. I listen to the soothing tones, but I do not hear the words.

His heart labors, and I realize my face is wet with tears. Tears!

Still I continue to drink.

Then his heart stutters.

Finally I stop, fully sated. My gums no longer hurt; the fangs are gone.

It doesn't take long for horror to hit me. I turn to see my brother lying so pale and still next to me.

_God, what have I done? _

An anguished cry escapes my throat.

"No, Joe, please, no, Joe…"

I think I am screaming. Or am I just crying?

I try to reach out to Joe. I cannot tell if he still breathes, and I need to feel if his heart still beats.

The door bursts open, and they rush in. They pull me away from Joe, and I struggle mightily against them. I scream at them and beg them to let me go to Joe. They ignore me. I cannot get myself free for I no longer possess that supernatural strength. I feel a sharp and painful prick in my arm. I am no longer immune to drugs and sedatives. The adrenaline must really be flooding my system, for it takes awhile for the sedatives to take effect.

As I slowly succumb into the arms of Morpheus, I wonder where are the Van Helsings and who are these people whom I never met before.

**_Author's Note: For more details on the Angelic Hierarchy, please see http://en. Please also note that I took the liberty to tweak some 'facts' for the purpose of my story. But the truth remains; no one really knows, right? _**

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	14. 12 Book 3

**Thanks ArgentSkye for the grammar editions. Really appreciated them...**

**RagnaIce: sorry, can't resist needling you a little... falling into the arms of morpheus means falling asleep.**

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**Guardian in the Dark **

**12 **

**Book 3 **

**The LORD Is My Shepherd **

A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

_The Psalms 23, King James Version _

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**

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**Hey guys! Thanks for coming on... and yup gotcha! Thanks again...**** and double thanks... and yah, miss you guys too. **


	15. Aftermath

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**_Author's note: Well, the Hardys are just not the Hardys without a little bit of mystery and detective work. So here it is. Frank has a few little mysteries to work out in the aftermath. Most of the loose ends should be covered here. And I promised a Frank story, did I not? _**

**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 13

Jolly

**Aftermath**

I open my eyes and squint against the faint light of the sun.

_Where am I? _

I hear voices. Then someone is there, kneeling down before me. And he is talking urgently into his mouthpiece. "Get the paramedics in here, now! We have a survivor, repeat, we have a survivor…"

I try to move, but end up groaning in pain. My guts hurt. My throat is dry and my body aches.

"Relax, just relax, you're safe now…help will be here soon, you'll be fine…"

I fade back into the darkness.

I am only half awake, but I know I am in a hospital. I can smell that antiseptic smell. I try to open my eyes but I cannot. I can still feel the drugs, the sedatives and the painkillers, coursing through my system.

But I can hear them talking.

"… he must have been held there a long time."

"Those people are just sick..."

What happened to me?

"Do we know who he is yet?"

Was it all a dream?

"Yes, we matched his prints to a Frank Hardy…his family's been informed. They are rushing here…they thought he died just over a year back…"

No, it's real…

"Hardy? As in Fenton Hardy?"

"Yes. This one's the elder son."

"He's one good detective….I wonder what convinced him of his son's death?"

"DNA evidence…the remains of a lock of hair at the site of an explosion."

It's real, all of it…

"Ah…"

"The family seems to be having a run of tragedy recently."

"What happened?"

"The younger son went missing two days ago, apparently on the morning of his birthday. No one knows how he was taken from his own bed."

_Oh no… Joe… _

"Will he be all right?"

That voice! I know that voice!

"He's a little anemic, but that's understandable from the blood loss he sustained from his injuries. A little dehydrated, but that's easily taken care of. The deep wound on his side is a little more of a worry. The key concern is the risk of infection; otherwise, with proper rest he should make a full recovery."

Dad?

"Thank God…"

"You might want to consider some counseling for what he has gone through…"

"I will…and thanks, Dr. Henderson."

"You're welcome. He should be waking up soon."

I can feel a gentle hand ruffle my hair in a familiar manner. I can feel a soft finger tracing my features.

"Will he be all right, Fent?"

"He will be, Laur…"

"God, what are we going to tell him about Joe?"

"When he's strong enough, we tell him the truth."

"But…"

"Frank's twenty and he will not want us to treat him as a child…and this time, as long as there is no body, we will continue to search for Joe. And Laur… I will not repeat the same mistake as I did with Frank."

Oh Dad… if only you knew…

"Do you think Joe's still alive?"

Oh God… did I kill him? Did I? Did I?

"Yes, honey, Joe's still alive. He's still alive for as long as we have no absolute evidence that says otherwise."

_I hope so, Dad, I hope so… please let it be so… _

"Frank! Fent, he's waking up…"

I feel her hands gently touching my face, brushing away my tears.

"Frank…hush…you're safe, baby, you're safe and home…"

_Mom, Dad_, I try to call out. The words refuse to form. A dry rattling sound escapes my sore throat.

"Just relax son, you need to rest and recover…we can talk later."

I look into their concerned eyes for only a short while, and then I turn away to simply stare at the sunlight coming in through the window. I do not want them to see the shame and guilt in my eyes.

I cry.

I just let the tears flow, and let them comfort me.

I am in the psychiatric ward.

It's been a week. My physical wound has healed nicely. But I have not spoken since that initial attempt to call out to my parents. I have refused to meet my parents' eyes since that initial eye contact. I am too ashamed to. And the fear and guilt of what might have happened to Joe weighs heavily on me.

The psychiatrist came and went. Still I keep my silence.

They are all correct to be worried about me. It only makes me feel guiltier. But I am not ready to return to the world I left behind a year ago. I am not ready to face it…not without Joe.

Joe…How is he?

No, he can't be dead! He won't leave me here to live on alone. I know he won't! And I will know if he's really gone, won't I? My heart will know….

But if Joe is alive, why isn't he here?

Is he hiding from me? Did I turn him into a creature of the night after all? Did he trade lives with me? Is that it?

So many questions!

And why did they leave me alone to be found? And Jana…and Jonah…and Jana, Jana...

_'Frank…You were a detective. An amateur detective, but a damned good one. What happened to him?' _

That's a good question, Jana!

What happened to me?

I got lost.

I sit up straighter in my bed, and glance at the clock.

Jana's right. I am a detective! And I am sure they are expecting me to be able to figure out what happened and help them keep the other world a secret. I know that Jana and Jonah both enrolled in Bayport High last year and where they lived during that year. I am sure I can track down the truth from there.

I feel the old tingle of excitement whenever I was confronted with a mystery and a problem rise in me again. That is a good feeling.

First, I have to get out of here.

I look at the clock again.

Good, my parents will be here soon for their daily visit.

I can't wait for them to arrive.

Time has a way of crawling so agonizingly slowly when you need it to fly. I glance at that darn clock for the hundredth, mayhap the thousandth time.

It is so difficult to remain calm and patient. But I have to. I know that if I exhibit any signs of agitation or whatever; I will probably end up staying here longer than I want to.

And I refuse to allow that. Not when there is so much for me to do out there.

Finally, I hear the sounds of the door being open. I whirl around to see my parents entering the room.

I look [at them straight in the eye, and call out to them:

"Mom, Dad…"

I can see their surprise and joy.

I feel a little guilty for making them worry.

"I'm so sorry, Mom, Dad," I tell them simply.

Then I feel that stinging sensation behind my eyes. I let the tears flow, and relish [in the feel of the wetness streaking down my cheeks. This act of shedding tears that I once considered a weakness is now an ability I treasure and cherish and...

I am truly human again.

"I'm back, Mom, I'm back, Dad, I'm really back…" I choke out those words in between my sobs as I move towards them to engulf them both in a bear hug. "I'm ready to go home…"

Breaking down like that is a little unexpected. But it does make me feel better. I guess that is all that matters.

"Oh Frank, baby…"

"Frank…Son…good to have you back…"

And the three of us just stand there, just holding on to each other for a long, long while.

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	16. A Detective At Thought

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 14

Jolly

**A Detective At Thought **

I am back.

For a moment, I simply sat in Dad's car and stared at the house that was my home for nineteen years. It seemed so strange to see sunlight, rather than moonlight, reflecting off the clean glass windows.

This is my home.

I stood there on the front porch and raised my face to catch the sun rays. I let the heat of those rays warm my face, and in turn, that warmed my heart. I gave my parents a genuine smile, and it widened as I saw the underlying worry for me melt away from their concerned faces. Then together as a family, we entered our home.

And this is my room.

My room is still the same. My clothes neatly folded in the wardrobe. My books neatly stacked on the shelves. Joe had insisted that our parents leave everything the way it was, in remembrance of me.

I walk towards my study chair and sit down on it. I let myself feel the softness of the cushion that I was sitting on. I relish the feel of the wooden table under my warm fingers.

Yes, I am definitely alive again.

I can hear my mom in the kitchen downstairs preparing dinner. I know that Dad is back in the study, trying to figure out what happened to me, and trying to find out what happened to Joe. Poor Dad, there really aren't many mysteries that stump him. I am afraid this will have to be one of those.

And Joe.

I wonder where he is now, and if he is okay.

I know now Joe is definitely not gone. In fact, he is very possibly still human. Yes, I believe that is so. But I still have no idea what happened. So yes, I am very worried for my brother's safety.

I suppose you want to know how I know that Joe is still around.

The first bit is really just gut instinct. I can still feel him around in this world. I know that is not a very rational explanation. But after what I have gone through, I am a lot more accepting of the unexplainable than before. I can now fully appreciate Fox Mulder's patience with Dana Scully.

I can fully appreciate Joe's patience with me.

The next bit is more logical and methodological. You see, the one advantage of being locked up in the psychiatric ward was that you have excessive time on your hands. And I had almost twenty hours to rethink the events of the past year, culminating on the night of Joe's birthday, before the hospital officially discharged me.

That was because I had to get past the psychiatric evaluation first. And I did that easily, since I know exactly what they are looking for.

Now, back to what happened.

It is amazing what twenty hours of calm focused reasoning without fear or distraction can do. How could I have missed them? The clues and hints were all there. And I must have started to realize myself towards the end, even though I forced myself not to think, so that the Queen could not lift those thoughts and answers from my mind.

Have you figured it out yet?

Questions. The answer is in the questions I never really asked. Partly because I needed to believe in certain things so that I could justify my own continuing existence back then. And partly because the Van Helsings never really answered my questions anyway when I asked them.

And so I, like Lilith, had made certain assumptions and followed those to their logical conclusion. Which is, as we now know, totally wrong.

Yes, I can now see how the best lies are cloaked in truth. I really had most of the information I needed. I only need to find out which of the few tiny bits were the lies.

Joe.

It now makes sense why they could not turn him during those two months of captivity. As the true guardian and the wielder of the light of creation, his blood is definitely destructive to the vampyres. And because they thought he was the chosen, they did not kill him. Joe was 'safe' there all that while. The logical conjecture here is: they were close to finding me, and the guardian let himself be found by broadcasting his presence…to buy me time.

The Van Helsings clearly knrw a little more than Lilith. That was why the tracking spell was on me and not Joe. But not everything, since both Jana and Jonah were clearly shocked to see me turned. During that confrontation between Lilith and Adam, it was clear Adam knew who the chosen was and who the guardian was. In fact, I will bet he knew more than he let on. It is Adam I must find if I want the answers to my questions.

Then there was the strange fact that the Van Helsings were not around after Joe returned to me my humanity. Why weren't they there? _Because Jana and Jonah were injured_, my voice of logic tells me. And Jana, she took that psychic hit from Lilith…is she okay? That leads me to the next question. How do I feel about her? I know I like her, and that I had never allowed myself to think beyond a certain point where she is concerned. And she said she loves me? Did she really? And me…do I like her enough to love her? I sigh and resign myself to the fact that I will not know until I find them, or until they let me find them. No, I will find them, whether or not they let me.

I remember that painful prick in my arm back then. And now I know why that was so painful, and why it took so long for me to fade off into Morpheus' arms. It wasn't an injection of sedatives that I was given. It was a blood transfusion, and done in the good old-fashioned way. That was why the doctor found me anemic later. That was why I noticed the really bad bruising on my arm when I awoke in the hospital.

And there is only one reason why that blood was taken off me. It was for Joe. I remember Jana telling me about a certain process…I never really knew the details and so I never really believed her. But they must have known and used that to save Joe.

So all I have to do now, is figure out what happened between the time when I was knocked out and when I woke up in the hospital. Which I concede is no easy task.

There is someone knocking on my door.

"Frank?" A tentative voice called out.

"Come in, Dad."

My father walked in.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Dad."

The silence that follows is a little awkward. I can see that Dad wants to talk, but he is unsure of how to proceed. I feel sorry for him and take the initiative. After all, I do have questions of my own.

"Dad, how did they find me?"

I watch my father sigh. He had already asked me what transpired over that year that I was missing. I told him I can't remember. And I am helped by the fact that the doctors identified an unknown substance in my bloodstream.

"A sub-standard building collapsed in the bad part of Brooklyn and you were one of the survivors in the aftermath."

_I see; I really have to give it to the Van Helsings for their knack with scenarios… _

"There were surprisingly few casualties," my father continues. "And it was only later that they found out that there was an illegal pornographic filming operation in there."

_Okay, maybe they weren't so creative after all… _

"You were lucky to be found alive…"

I look away from my father. Little does he know it was all pre-planned that I was to be found. That still does not help answer the question: where is Joe.

"And Joe?" I really hate to do this to Dad, but I must. Every bit of information counts. Poor Dad, he looks so guilty. And I cannot tell him the truth.

"He was taken on the morning of his birthday, Frank. And it was because the wiring was old and damaged. That was why the alarms did not go off….I should have had regular checks on the wiring…"

_I slung Joe over my shoulders, and with my mind, I deliberately burned out the wiring so that the humans could find a reasonably logical excuse as to what happened… _

I lower my eyes so my father will not see my guilt reflected in there. That was my doing and my guilt to bear, not his. Yet I cannot tell him.

"… and Frank, I still have no idea who has taken him and why…"

My guilt multiplies a hundredfold as I look into my dad's haunted eyes, so desperately pleading for understanding and forgiveness. My throat suddenly feels unnaturally dry and I am unable to say what I need to say.

"And I am also very sorry I gave you up for dead, son. I should not have so easily believed in that flimsy piece of DNA evidence—"

I open my mouth to refute.

"No…let me finish this, I am sorry I did not do for my son what I do for all my other clients. I did not search out every possible lead. But I promise you, Frank, that I will not repeat that same mistake with Joe. We will find him, I promise…"

The door to my room opens, and we turn to see mom standing there at the threshold.

"I knocked, but no one answered…" her voice is hesitant.

Both I and my father blush in embarrassment. "Sorry," we both reply sheepishly at the same time.

Then all three of us laugh a little. It is good to know some things have not changed in this home.

"Come," my mother says in a warm tone. "Whatever needs to be said can wait. Dinner's hot and ready, and Frank needs to rest after that."

My father agreed.

After a quiet dinner, I excuse myself and head back to my room. There is still much for me to figure out. And then I will prepare a list of what to do for tomorrow.

Then I remember something else.

How could I have forgotten about that conversation I overheard?! It was most enlightening, as I said before. Joe is Mika'el, and I, I am…the name slips past my grasp. After several more attempts, I accept that I am clearly not meant to remember that and move on. I need to find Joe first. But what else can I conclude from that conversation? It was Joe's task I volunteered for, and I volunteered because I felt it was risky for Joe. And I did well.

So I was meant to turn. But for what purpose? Why did God allow his chosen to be turned this time? What is the difference?

_'Every single one of them was born into ordinary families as ordinary persons.' _

That was what Lilith said.

I looked back at what my life had been. I certainly do not feel 'ordinary.' I and my brother are sons of a very well-known person. And we had traveled the world and solved many cases, including a small number of James Bond style espionage cases. How could that be considered 'ordinary'?

Unless this is what Adam meant when he said Lilith misinterpreted? Interpretations of ancient texts are always fraught with errors. Unless ordinary means normal: as in a 'normal' human being. That would explain why I could be turned and Joe can't. Yes, I remembered Adam saying that I cannot be turned again. I can only choose to go over to Lilith's side of my own free will.

Of course I will never do that, ever. And there is nothing that can make me…nothing.

_Oh no…there is something…._

I sit right up straight in my bed, and feel the beads of sweat starting to form on my back.

Joe…

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	17. Confrontation

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 15

Jolly

**Confrontation **

Joe.

There is nothing I will not do for Joe.

Does that mean anything? And is that dread that I feel threatening to overwhelm me?

I force myself back into logical reasoning.

Assuming I am right that Joe is all right and still alive and still human, was there any reason really for Joe not to be found with me? No, there isn't. And what does that mean? Nothing good that I can think of…

Suddenly I sense another presence in my room.

I watch a shadow glide towards me and recognize him. _It._

Mephisto.

I steel myself against the mental compulsion that I know will come. To my surprise his directives bounce easily off my hastily constructed mental shields. I can see the shock in his eyes. Adam said that I could only be turned once…but does that mean I now have some immunity against their mental compulsion? Or does that mean that I retain some of the skills I learned from the Van Helsings? I do not have the time to speculate. An arm reaches out for me and slams me lightly against the wall. Mephisto has total mastery over his use of force. There is no thudding sound that will alert my parents. But I can feel the full force of his power behind that move.

"If your parents walk into this room now, they die, do you understand?" A gravelly voice delivers those threatening words quietly to me.

His tone of voice is so casual; I feel the coldness settle in my heart as I struggle to rein in the anger that threatens to spill over. I know there is nothing I can do against Lilith's elite, even if I have a holy water soaked stake with me now, which I don't.

I nod.

Did I ever mention that it had to be a holy water soaked stake to dust a vampyre? A piece of wood will but wound them.

He gives me an evil grin that sends shivers up my spine. I know I will not like what he has to say next.

"And you might like to know…" He leans down to whisper into my ear. "that we have your brother."

_Damn!_ A part of me already acknowledges that possibility, but I have chosen to hold on to hope.

_And what of the Van Helsings, and the other hunters? What of them? _

A soft cackle of laughter fills my room.

"They planned for you both to be found together, but I sent my revenants in….They managed to protect you, but we got your guardian of a brother. I'm afraid we left a number of hunters in fairly bad shape."

Then he snarls. "We could have gotten to you after that, but the hospital you were in had a protection glyph built into its very walls and foundation. We could not breach the magical defenses."

And then he smiles most grimly. "But you are home now…and yes, they are looking out for you, but they are being kept well-occupied for the time being."

_They? Is Jana around? _

I can feel my heart speed up a little as I think of her. Yes, I know now that she is very special to me.

Then Mephisto hisses again into my ear. "But I am sure you will behave yourself…if you want to see your brother again…"

I let my fury shine through my eyes as I glare balefully at him and nod my head again in the affirmative.

He chuckles and grabs me.

I force myself to relax and let him carry me out of the window and toward an unknown destination. I watch dispassionately as Mephisto heads towards the coast. Soon we are moving down Shore Road, and I know we are heading for the cliffs. I can hear the waves as they crash onto the shore, I can smell the sea as the ocean breeze brushes by my cheeks.

I find myself sparing a thought for my poor parents. I was home for barely 12 hours, and am now gone again.

And I am desperately trying to psych myself into believing that both Joe and I will be able to find a way out of this together. I believe that we will make it, and that is half the battle won.

_See Jana, I remember what you said. Let God handle the other half. _

Then Mephisto jerks to a sudden stop. He almost drops me. Two more crossbow bolts whiz past and his grip on me loosens further. I suddenly feel very conflicted.

_Shall I break free? But if I do, what will happen to Joe? _

"Frank!"

Jana.

I turn instinctively towards her voice. At the same time, I feel something being placed in my hand. I automatically grab it. It feels cool and cylindrical and familiar. I know that it is a wooden stake.

I can sense Mephisto recovering from the surprise ambush, and his grip on my arm tightens. I twist around and slash his arm with that stake. I can see the burns form on his arm and he lets go of me. I scramble quickly out of his reach as the twins attack with their wooden blades.

Once I regain my footing, I prepare myself to join them in battle, even when I know I cannot match the grace and speed of the twins. Not as a human. But, I know I can watch for opportunities.

Another vampyre suddenly appears before me. I really thought I was done for. But I absolutely refuse to go without a fight, so I throw myself left and out of reach of the vampyre. I crash onto the ground in an ungraceful heap a distance away.

Imagine my surprise when I realize that I had moved faster and further than I anticipated! Now, what does that mean?

The outcome is unfortunate for that vampyre attacking me.

He attacks and I react.

I stake him.

Just like that.

Another vampyre appears and I dust him easily too. I am getting the idea of my abilities. It seems I can match the speed of the twins, but not the supernatural strength of a vampyre. But as more vampyres appear, I know that it is a battle that we cannot win.

_Unless the twins have backup coming? _

I have no idea and I can't ask them at the moment. We are all too busy fighting. But I can hope, can't I?

Soon, we are surrounded by a dozen vampyres. Given the fact that we are currently at an isolated spot on the cliffs overlooking the bay, I am not hopeful of a police cruiser coming past. In all honestly, it is not even nice of me to wish for one to come by. But wish I do. I am not exactly in the mood to be nice at the moment.

Then Lilith arrives. Her pale complexion glows eerily in the moonlight, her midnight hair floats behind her, so dark it seems to swallow any light that shines upon it. There are many more vampyres following behind her.

I can feel both Jana and Jonah tensing up next to me.

"Good evening Jana. Good evening Jonah. And I am surprised you are still alive, Jana." Lilith greets politely.

"I am a survivor." Jana returns in a careless but equally polite tone.

Then Lilith turns her attention to me.

"And Frank, do remember that we have your brother."

"You do not." Jana refutes.

_Now, who is telling the truth here? Jana. Of course I will believe Jana. _

"Then where is the younger brother then?" Lilith challenges Jana, her tone mocking and confident.

Yes, where is he?

She merely smiles.

What am I supposed to think?

"Here." The voice, though soft, carries through the night breeze.

My heart lifts. That is Joe. I watch him move out from the shadows with Adam behind him. He looks a little too pale for my liking still. I wonder what happened to him.

_Is he…? Did I…? _

I swallow my rising fear and guilt. I honestly do not know what happened and should not be making any more erroneous assumptions. And, I guess now is not the time to ask. I sigh; whatever happened to my well-known patience?

I watch as some of the vampyres start to back off a little. They must have heard what Joe did the other night, and I cannot help but feel a morbid sense of satisfaction at their fear.

"Well Adamah, I was certainly not expecting to see you here tonight," Lilith comments. "I did not know that you have a death wish."

"Our age-old grudge ends today, Lilith," Adam states in a tired yet firm tone.

"Yes, it ends with your death and that of your line, Adamah," Lilith flashes back, then smiles viciously, "And I hope you are not expecting that guardian of yours to do the same trick again. I went back to the ancient texts, and have learnt certain truths…"

_What does Lilith mean by that? _

I feel suddenly anxious. I turn to look at Joe. He seems unperturbed.

_That is a good sign, right? _

"The light of creation is not meant to be used so carelessly. I already did that once, and have paid the price for that transgression. You are correct on that count," Joe answers quietly, his eyes dark with something I cannot define.

_Okay, that definitely does not look good. What am I missing here? _

"Ah Lilith, I am here because the Lord decrees that everything ends tonight. He bids me tell you that He will do right by you," Adam said.

"Will it?" Lilith questions. "I have defied His Will for millenniums, Adamah. He has never done right by me. Why should I believe Him now?"

"Because at the end of the day, He IS your Lord, Lilitu. If He says He will do right by you, He will," Adam says softly. "And I admit that I did not treat you right back then. I am sorry."

"You cannot change what was done, Adamah. You cannot take back my years of barrenness, and the agony of my years in a dark and bleak existence…"

"And I have spent equal years in the darkness as you, Lilitu."

For a moment, there is silence as Lilith considers. Then again she hardens.

"But your darkness is not bleak, Adamah. You had your light and your descendents."

Then she turns back to me.

"You know that there is no way you and your comrades can survive tonight, Frank. Unless I let them go…"

I concede she is correct about that.

"Join me, Frank, of your own free will, and they all go free. All except Adam."

I know I should not be considering that offer… 

One feminine hand entwines her fingers with mine on my left, and another hand firmly holds onto my right. I hold onto both tightly. I have a woman who loves me with all her heart, and a brother who loves me with his whole soul. What more can a man want in his life? I will not disappoint them.

"No," I tell her in a firm voice.

For a moment she looks almost disappointed. The she shrugs and raises her hand….And they attack.

I push Joe behind me and dodge an incoming slash and easily dust my first attacker, and turn to face my next. These are the younger vampyres. The elites are just standing there next to Lilith watching; they are not attacking just yet. It seems Lilith still fears us to some degree.

A part of me scans my surroundings for Joe even as I battle my enemies before me.

Adam is graceful in his moves as he methodically turns vampyre after vampyre into dust. The twins are lethal as always, and they cover each other's back perfectly.

Then I panic a little when I realize I cannot see my brother. I wonder if he can cope, since he does not possess the skills that the twins and I have. Then the silliness of it all hits me. We are all going to die tonight and soon. It is just a matter of who goes first and who follows. And what we are doing is merely taking as many of them as we can.

I deflect another potential hit from a bony vampyre and dust him, but the impact from that deflection throws me off balance. I land rather unceremoniously on my backside, and find myself sandwiched between a rock and an incoming dagger.

I know this is the end for me. Trapped as I am, I know I cannot avoid the incoming dagger. But I can take him with me. I force my arm, numb from the impact of the fall, up before me with the stake pointing outward…

Then the world around me…stills.

I can see the dagger hanging motionless in mid-air just two feet away from my heart. It will take only a split second for the tip to reach my skin, then pierce through to my heart, pressed down by the force behind it.

Yet it hangs there motionless in mid-air.

I stare at it, fascinated. My peripheral vision tells me that everything else is stilled too. Jonah is there, frozen in a half-leap, and Jana is close to staking another vampyre. I assume Adam and Joe are both out of my line of sight at the moment.

_Joe… is my brother still alive? I muse. _

There is music in the air. Sweet angelic music that is so soothing to my soul.

_Is this what the instant before death is like? _

Then I see Lilith moving. She looks stunned at the absolute stillness around her. Then she mutters under her breath and heads towards me. I can see in her eyes that she means to kill me personally.

"Lilitu…"

Joe?

She pauses in mid-stride. "What do you want, Guardian?"

"Do you not know me?"

Lilith frowns, and only answers a moment later. "Mika'el?"

I see Joe gives her a little smile. Then I realize that Joe looks different; he seems to be shining with an inner light.

"My Lord bids me tell you that humanity's next step is in your hands."

_What does that mean? _

"So you will hand Frank and his soul over to me?"

"I will never do that Lilitu, not even if My Lord bids me to…I tell you this so that you know that to some degree I understand where you are coming from."

I know Joe will never do that, but I cannot help the relief coursing through me at his declaration.

"Then there is nothing for us to talk about," Lilith snaps back.

"His soul will never be yours, or anyone else's, for as long as I exist, Lilitu. But my Lord bids me tell you that it will be your decision if Frank Hardy lives or dies."

"If I cannot have him wholly, I have no use for him; he dies."

"It serves you no purpose to kill him, Lilitu. For I will simply follow him and bring him home where he belongs."

"But it will serve to ease my bitterness and anger at what I cannot have…" It almost seems to pain Lilith to say that.

"Take a good look at what you are destroying before you make your decision, Lilitu," Joe continues in a gentle, soothing tone.

"I am killing one of Yahweh's Chosen…" 

"Who was given to your keeping for a year, Lilitu. See carefully for yourself God Yahweh's gift for you, Lilitu" Joe gestures towards me with his hand.

Lilith's eyes narrows as she returns her gaze to me. She stares at me for a long time. Her eyes widen in surprise, and then soften. Her hand reaches out as if to touch me, but she is too far away. I swear I can almost see tears there.

Then Joe interrupts [at that moment.

"Frank Hardy will plant the seeds for the next Age of Man, Lilitu. And God Yahweh has given you the choice whether or not you want him to….Choose wisely, Lilitu."

As Joe's voice fades off, I feel the chains of time around us loosening. I can see the aura surrounding Joe fading away, and know that Mika'el is gone.

"No…Mika'el…wait…" Lilith calls out, but it is clearly useless.

I feel movement returning to my limbs, and see the dagger above me begin its downward journey. I close my eyes and look forward to finding out what Joe means by bringing me home.

But that dagger never hits me, and when I feel a heavy weight upon my stake, I open my eyes to see Lilith impaled on it.

I am shocked by that. I can hear her telling all the vampyres not to bother me from now on. And I can see the shocked expressions of all the vampyres within sight too.

She saves me, at the cost of her own existence.

Then she lifts a trembling hand to my face. For some strange reason, I let her. She smiles wonderingly at me. It is, I admit, a rather strange experience.

Then she frowns.

"What about the rest of my creations?" she whispers in a guilty voice.

A small bush near us bursts into flames that clearly do not burn, and a strong voice cuts across the night.

"They will be given a choice to return to Me; the Guardian will see to it."

"Thank you, My Lord," Lilith gasps.

"It is time, My child, for you to come home…" 

I watch almost as if from an external perspective, as Lilith covers my hand with hers, and slowly draws the stake from her heart. And slowly, so slowly, she turns to dust. But unlike the other vampyres that I staked, hers is a powdery golden dust that swirls beautifully in circles up into the night sky and towards the stars.

When it is all gone, I see Joe lift both his palms skywards and release a multitude of floating lights into the night. Those little globes of light swirl around us all, creating a rather ethereal sort of atmosphere. It helps to calm and soothe the feelings of bitterness and anger that existed just moments before.

I watch some of the vampyres reach out for the floating globes of light. They hold them for a moment in their palms. For some, I can see wonderment light up their features; those vampyres close their palms over the light, and let the light suffuse their beings. Slowly, they turn to golden dust and rise into the night sky too.

But the remaining vampyres snarl in anger and vanish into the darkness.

Then Joe is there standing before me. He reaches out with an arm, and I let him pull me up to my feet.

_His hands are warm. _

The relief I feel at that warmth is tremendous. You see, there is this tiny fear in me that I really did turn Joe, that I gave him my fate. I am so happy to know that I didn't.

For a moment I simply stand there just looking at him, taking in his dirty blond hair, the dirt-smudged face, and those ever-twinkling deep sapphire eyes. Then I reach out to touch him, tentatively at first. Then Joe must have decided I am taking too long and he just grabs me and draws me into a bear hug.

I hug him back. So hard I hope I didn't break any of his bones.

I can hear him murmur how much he missed me and how glad he is to see me again. I can feel my shoulders getting wet. And I know his shoulders are getting wet too.

Not that I care.

It is just so good to be together again.

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	18. To Go Home

**Here's the next chapter. Epilogue should be up soon, I really hope... then you guys can give me the final verdict ...**

**Thanks again for the awesome and kind reviews. And Skye - I guess this one's for you... that bit of venting on Storm really got the words out for this one So yeah, double thanks for both the edits AND ... well, thanks!**

**And re a certain pm, no, I am not holding back the chapter for the sake of reviews. And if I want to, it would not be for this particular story. I was genuinely stuck... even though I did say 'nightly' at the beginning. Rest assured I will not make that kind of a statement again unless I got the whole story already written out. **

**Liz: thanks for liking it. After like a dozen chapters as a vamp, I really find it hard to go human. Hope this one works too and only epilogue left. Hope you're as sad as me to see this adventure ends!**

**Okay, enough said, please enjoy. Good or bad, be nice and drop a nice line? (or be Frank and drop some constructive criticism.)**

**Cheers, Jolly.  
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**Guardian in the Dark **

**16 **

**To Go Home **

We held on tightly to each other for a long while, I have no idea how long exactly, before we finally let go of each other. But I know it is a long while because by the time Joe and I let go of each other, because the Van Helsings are comfortably seated on the ground happily enjoying the sea breeze and politely enjoying the somewhat interesting view of the distant horizon.

I am sure they were sort of watching us somehow. Joe must have come to the same conclusion for his face turns a little redder as he follows my line of sight to them.

"So, what happened to you Joe? How did you escape or did something else happen?" I ask him outright, too impatient to wait any longer.

I can see the twins are curious too as they quickly turn their attention towards us.

_I knew they were watching! _

"So what exactly happened, Joe? You were supposed to be found with Frank of course, we tried to make sure of that. And if they didn't manage to get their hands on you…" That was Jonah. He doesn't talk much, but when he does, he can be rather detailed or long-winded, depending on which way you want to see it.

And Joe looks even more embarrassed than ever. That had me feeling even more curious.

"Well, I didn't wait to be found…" Joe starts to say.

We all give him our rapt attention. I just hope he will not go into one of his yarn spinning mode. Not now, when all the Van Helsings and I want is the bare facts.

"I woke up with a bad headache in what I thought look like a collapsing building. So I decided to make my way out of there for safety's sake," Joe blushed. "… and wandered somehow straight into danger zone..."

_Okay, THAT sounds like Joe alright. _

There are audible gasps of dismay from the twins.

"I got hit by a falling piece of debris, and may have gotten knocked out for a while. I really can't be sure what happened next. But I remembered forcing myself to walk away somehow towards safety… and I finally collapse somewhere…"

Then Joe turns to me with this apologetic look on his face, I wonder why. He continues.

"When I woke up again, there was this old woman standing in front of me asking if I was alright and my name. It was only then I realized that I can't remember… suffice to say, the police doesn't care much for them poor Hispanics, and I only remember after Adam found me.." Joe finishes his story with a grateful nod towards Adam.

His eyes promised me a more detailed version at a later date. I acknowledge his message with the slightest tilt of my head. It feels so exhilarating to know that we can still understand and communicate with each other as if the last year never happened.

Then I too turn and give Adam Van Helsing a grateful smile and quietly thank him for finding my brother.

"BUT, enough about me for now, Frank."

Somehow, the way Joe says that had all my warning instincts on red alert.

"I think there is someone you need to talk to…" Joe tells me as he pushes me towards Jana.

_How the heck did he know?! _

I note that Jonah is also doing the same to Jana, who is clearly trying, like me, to find a way out of this. My eyes narrowed. I see now that there is some sort of conspiracy here.

"Go on, Jana… and we'll be back later…"

I look on approvingly as Jana gives her younger brother a glare that… well, if looks could kill, that was it.

Suddenly Joe leans close to me and whispers in a serious tone, "Frank, you must ask her about the bonding…"

_What the?! _

Then in a louder voice, Joe announces, "Hey Jonah, I think its time we really get to know each other better…"

And they all left me and Jana alone at the top of the cliff.

I have to admit, the silence between us at that moment is extremely awkward. What am I suppose to say to her? I watch her use the tip of her shoe to make patterns on the sandy ground.

_She is nervous. _

Memories of the year I spent with her flashes by my mind's eye. I know she loves me, because of everything that she has done for me.

I remembered how she cared tenderly for me all those times when I was hurt. I remembered how she bullied me into living when I felt like giving up.

She truly loves me. I am awed by the certainty of that knowledge. What have I done to deserve a woman like her? What have I done to deserve her? More importantly, can I tell her I have come to love her over the year we spent together?

Then, I remembered the summer when I was thirteen.

"I remember," I say to her and she tilts her head back to look at me at the sound of my voice. "I remember the summer we first met."

I can not help but to smile at the surprise on her face.

"We were all at summer camp down in Florida… you were that girl with pigtails and a generous sprinkle of freckles on your nose."

Yes, I can recall her image in detail now. And I remember thinking she looks adorable even then with her little pigtails. But I was too shy to approach her, and all too soon, summer camp was over.

Jana screws up her nose at that and says, "Gawky… you called me gawky…"

_Did I? Oh dear, so I did… _

"I am sorry?" I choke out.

"And you aren't too happy when Jonah and I beat you and Joe in that obstacle and puzzle course."

_Okay, and that too… _

"I was rather childishly egoistic back then…" I search desperately for an appropriate response.

"You did not like the idea of losing to a girl, and one who is a year younger too." She accuses.

_Maybe I was a little chauvinistic back then… _

I am starting to think that bringing up that summer camp isn't such a bright idea after all. Then I notice that tiny little quiver on her lips, and I know that she is having some fun at my expense.

I suppose I can give her that.

I walk up to her and with my hand tilts her face upwards towards me and I look at her straight in the eye. I open my mouth, but my mind blanks out. I have no idea what to say to her. So I simply pull her into my arms, and relish in her warmth and the feel of her body pressed firmly against mine. I am happy and relieved that she lets me. That is a very good sign.

"Frank, you know I never expect anything in return, so you don't have to…" Jana murmurs against my chest.

"Hush." I cut her short and again raise her eyes to mine. "You have no idea how often I wished that I dared to ask you out during that last year, Jana…"

I look into her eyes and see the doubts there and sigh.

"Jana, I won't say I love you simply because of what you have done for me and because you said you love me. That will be too unfair for someone as special as you. But I can tell you honestly; that there are many times in the last year that I wished that there could have been something more between us. I will admit that I cannot say with absolute certainty that I love you the way you love me. But I can say that I do like you a lot, and that there are lots of things that I do admire and respect about you. And I can say that there is a distinct possibility that I do like you enough to love you…"

I cup her face in my palms, and look directly into her eyes as I ask of her… "Will you give me that chance to find out, please?"

My heart pounds furiously as I wait for her response. She stares into my eyes for a long while, and finally, to my immense relief, she smiles back at me. I can feel her hands curls around my neck as she says in her endearing cheeky tone, "You can give me a kiss here and now, and I'll tell you afterwards if you are worth a chance."

I laugh a joyous laugh and proceed to do just that.

Much later, we were snuggling at the cliff's edge and simply enjoying each other's company. Then I remembered Joe's words before he left with Adam and Jonah.

"Jana?"

"Hmmm…"

"Lilith mentioned a one-way bonding… what was that about?"

I start to feel a little concerned when Jana chooses to continue staring out into the dark ocean rather than look at me.

"It is my choice wholly, Frank."

"Does it have any negative impact on you?" And remembering the tone of Joe's admonishment, I added. "Please be honest about it… please?"

"Love cannot be forced Frank, so there is really nothing you can do about it. So please don't feel bad about it or anything."

"But it does affect you?"

"Yes and no… I already love you anyway so it doesn't really matters. But it is the nature of the bonding that I would never be free to love another for as long as you live, even if you choose another. And for some, it can turn them bitter…"

_Like Lilith… _

"Jana, I…"

Jana chuckles, gives me an evil grin, and added in a mockingly threatening tone. "Actually, you might be in more danger than you know…"

_Okay, I didn't think of it THAT way… _

"But as I say, I know what I was doing, and unless you do love me fully and wholly, there is nothing you can do about it… and I won't turn bitter, I can promise you that."

_What can I say in return to that? Nothing; nothing that can do justice to her generosity and the purity of her love so freely offered. _

I can only look at her straight in the eye, and hope she can see how much that means to me. More importantly, how much **_she_** means to me.

The others choose that moment to return. I grouse good naturedly at their bad timing, while Jana mutters something about the impeccable timing of baby brothers under her breath. We both exchange an understanding long suffering look; yes, that is another something both I and Jana have in common. I am starting to believe that our relationship will work out real fine.

I watch the three of them walk towards us, my arm held firmly around Jana's waist. I am still not ready to let go of her.

"It's almost dawn," Adam comments. "We have to figure out how to get Joe home."

"Joe is coming home with me of course." I dare them to refuse me.

"And how are you going to explain Joe's appearance to your parents, and everybody else?" Jonah throws me the gauntlet.

"I…" Okay, I really have no idea.

Then a thought hits me and my lips curls into an absolutely wicked smile. I can see Joe looking worried and that only serve to widen my smile further.

"I'll let the expert spin the yarn," I tell the Van Helsings and cannot help but feel gleeful at their mystified expressions. "And I seriously doubt if my father is going to swallow another slavery or pornography scenario…"

I can see the Van Helsings turn red at that remark. Even Joe chuckles at that.

"Such faith you have in me, big bro!" Joe says mockingly.

"I always have faith in you to find an appropriate excuse, baby bro!" I shoot back.

And we break into laughter as memories of all the wild tales that Joe spun all came back in a rush. We laughed till our abdominal muscles hurt, and we both know that it was because we were exorcising all the tensions, fears, and hopes of the past year. And I find that I can hardly wait to see what Joe can come up with this time.

Finally, the laughter dies down.

That is when I and Joe notice the amused and indulgent looks that the Van Helsings were giving us. We can see that the dark purple skies are rapidly turning grey.

And Joe turns to Adam, his expression serious. He lifts his arm and when he opens his palm, offering to Adam the small globe of light that was floating on it.

Adam reaches out for it and simply let it hovers just above his palm. Then he turns to the twins, giving each of them a bear hug.

"It's time for me to go…home." He says to them.

It is clear to me the twins knew this was coming. It is equally clear to me that they weren't as prepared for it as they thought they were. I reach out to Jana and pull her into my arms. She lean back into my embrace, and hold on tightly to my hands. I note that Joe had his hand placed comfortingly on Jonah's shoulders. I can see that Jonah is also holding on very tightly onto Joe's other hand.

"You'll help take care of them, won't you?" Adam asks of us.

Of course we will, we said to him.

Then the first rays breaks through the horizon.

Adam lifts his face to the rising sun, his last words carries over the morning breeze.

_From dust you were made and to dust you shall return… _

The golden sun rays lights up his face and for a short moment a golden halo surrounds him, and then slowly he melts away in the golden rays. Joe lifts his hand and directs another globe of light skywards. And we watch the golden dust follows the globe into the heavens high above us.

The sun is clearly up and the skies turning slowly turning from gold to a clear blue when we finally and reluctantly move from our positions.

It is also time for us to go home.

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	19. The Cover Story

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 17

Jolly

**The Cover Story **

Dammit! 

I cannot believe what I am hearing.

Joe just told our parents the truth. The whole truth.

Okay, _almost _nothing but the whole truth.

Yes, now I really can see how the best lies are cloaked in truth.

Dad and the police will find the abandoned lair, but they will never find any trace of Lilith or Mephisto or Asmodeus.

It is the perfect cover story…

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**  



	20. Moving On

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**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 17

Jolly

**Moving On **

That was four years ago.

I suppose you want to know what happened after that. Like all fairytales, we all live happily ever after, of course.

Okay, I will admit there are some bumps here and there….

And yeah, there are some bumps that are bigger than others….

All right all right, I shall give you a few more details. You guys are curious, aren't you?

Both I and Joe applied to study Law at New York University and got in quite easily. I took an additional minor in Mathematics while Joe dabbled his way through a minor in Creative Writing. The twins also enrolled in NYU, both majoring in Psychology. Vanessa, Joe's girlfriend, joined us there after returning from a six-month stint in New Zealand helping her mom with the digital artwork for _The Lord of the Rings_ directed by Peter Jackson. She majored in Digital Media, of course. All five of us moved into Manhattan and lived near our college campus. I, Joe and Jonah shared a three bedroom apartment while Jana and Vanessa shared a two bedroom apartment just two blocks from us.

Of course, life was not exactly smooth sailing through college. I had a lot of adjustments to make. For example, I, like the Van Helsing twins, cannot participate in any sports because our enhanced physical capabilities would mean that we have an unfair advantage over others. That left me with lots of spare time on my hands.

Not surprisingly, I spent most of that time in the sun, especially during my freshman year in college. You cannot imagine how much I had missed the sun. I read, relaxed, tutored Joe, and generally just enjoyed life. Life that was suddenly so very precious to me. Then in my sophomore year, I joined the debating team, followed by the chess team. Gradually, life went back to 'normal' for me.

As 'normal' as it can get being the son of well-known Fenton Hardy, and the boyfriend of vampyre-hunter Jana Van Helsing.

There were still lots of vampyres out there – the ones that chose eternal damnation over true eternal life. And living with the Van Helsing twins means that we still bump into them every now and then.

Well, a little more than one every now and then… 

Joe is still the Guardian, and…well…after all that I had gone through, I am quite uptight when it comes to seeing vampyres appearing at our windows. So eventually I turned my room into our study and moved into Joe's room. That way, Joe can prevent me from staking the good vampyres looking for salvation, while I prevent the bad vampyres from killing Joe.

It was all so strange for me. I spent most of my teenage life making sure my little brother woke up on time for his classes. But I spent my college life making sure Joe sleeps in, especially on the nights when several vampyres came looking for salvation.

I still have to pull Joe out of real life trouble, such as being kidnapped by some of ours or dad's enemies every now and then. That aspect of our relationship still remains the same. I am my brother's keeper to the very end.

Joe remains the true Guardian, not of me but of my heart and soul. God Yahweh sent him to be my kid brother, so I can have him as my moral core. I may be the smarter, the more intellectual, and the more lethal one. But Joe is my heart and my compassion, and being with him softened all my hard edges. It was through Joe that I learned to look beyond all the faults of Man to the Grace of God. He showed me how to see the light in every person (and every vampyre) we met, no matter how bad or miserable they are.

So yes, Joe is very special indeed.

And I? I have no idea what God Yahweh intended for me. I do not understand the reason behind the exceptional athletic capabilities that I was given (but they are useful when it comes to helping Jana hunt vampyres or saving Joe from the bad guys). I remembered Lilith mentioning that all the chosen ones lived ordinary lives and that their impact was seldom felt until long after they left Earth. I suppose I will never know for as long as I live.

But I have faith that it will be good.

I will not abuse the skills I was given. I will live a good and fulfilling life, and do the right things.

Like marrying the woman I love and who I know loves me.

I know there is a silly smile plastered on my face at the moment. I look down at the little ring nestled in the little blue velvet box. It is a single heart-shaped pale blue sapphire. I bought it because it was the exact shade of her eyes.

Yes, I am planning to propose to Jana today. I plan to do that right after the convocation ceremony.

_Do you think she will accept? _

I smile a little nervously and let my mind replay the scene I so carefully planned and set...

There is a rap on the door and Joe swaggers in.

"Hey Frank! Time to go, Mom and Dad are waiting. And don't bother spending too much time before the mirror, big bro…I am still the good looking brother here."

"Of course you are, baby bro…I am merely _better_ looking," I tease him, and turn to give myself a final check before leaving.

Then Joe sees the ring in my hand and his expression softens.

"She'll accept, big bro…don't you worry about that."

"I know, but I am still nervous…" 

Joe pats me on my back saying, "Of course you will be! You will be nervous, but you will conquer your nervousness and ask her in your meekest tone to marry you, and she will pause for a second, letting you feel the fear you expect to feel, when she is actually really trying to catch her breath before throwing her arms around you and shouting 'yes' into your ear….And the two of you will live happily ever after!" Joe finishes with flair as he smoothly packs the ring back into its velvet box and gently places it into my pocket, then propels me towards the door and out of my room.

"But none of those is going to happen if you miss Jana's grand moment as the valedictorian of her class…so let's get going!" Joe admonishes.

So we rush down to the graduation hall and go through the long tedious process of waiting for everyone to be called one by one to collect their certificates. Then there are the requisite group photo sessions followed by the friends and family photo sessions.

Then we are free.

I hem and haw and watch for the opportunity to whisk Jana away from everyone else.

I finally manage to do just that, and guess what? It all happens just as Joe described! How the heck did that little brother of mine know that?!

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**

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	21. Epilogue

**Guardian in the Dark**

Chapter 17

Jolly

**Epilogue **

Now at eighty-one, I look back at my life with much joy and pride.

I have had a good life, a fulfilling life….

After our graduation from New York University, we returned to Bayport to join our father in running Hardy and Radley Investigations Agency.

Beyond the usual bread and butter cases, we also have plenty of exciting adventures and unusual cases. And with Jana and Jonah around, you bet we also have a good number of paranormal cases that are not on our records of course. But those tales are for another time. That is, if you are interested in them.

I married Jana and Joe married Vanessa. We had a double wedding, and had our honeymoon in the Swiss Alps where we spent many hours cuddling in the warm furs in our respective chalets.

Sam Radley's kids had no interest in detective work, so when Sam retired, I and Joe bought out Sam's share of the business and we renamed it Hardy Investigations.

By then Dad had retired as well, to spend more time with Mom. They chose to spend their older years travelling and doing volunteer work helping the less fortunate people around the world.

We had kids and we watched our grandkids grew up together. We lived to a ripe old age.

Joe went first. He passed away peacefully in his sleep soon after his eightieth birthday, his loving family and grandchildren and great grandchildren around him….

I sit on the pew in the church, and as I listen to the eulogy his son wrote for him, I suddenly feel tired and lonely.

_Gone, they are all gone. I am the last living representative of my generation…. _

I feel the tears sliding down my cheeks and I let them. Does it matter who sees me cry anymore? A tiny hand reaches for mine, and I look down to see a pair of soft brown eyes staring up at me.

"Don't be sad, great-grandpa…or great-granduncle Joe will be sad too," she says to me, her little thumb half stuck in her toothy mouth.

Such sweet childish innocence! I hug her closer to me, and for a moment rejoice in the presence of my extended family. Still the tears flow, but I no longer feel as sad or as lonely.

Three days later, I am sitting comfortably in my favorite rocking chair watching my and Joe's great- grandkids playing tag under that wooden tree house that I and Joe built so many years ago, when I fall asleep.

Next I know I am standing right next to my aged body. I observe my body in peaceful slumber. I look up to see a young Joe standing not far from me. He, like me, is watching the kids playing tag. Then he turns and sees me, and he smiles.

He opens his arms and I walk straight into his embrace. As we exchange our bear hug, I suddenly realize I am young again.

Then I notice the golden aura around the two of us.

He looks at me with an expectant expression on his face. He is waiting for something, I know. I wonder what that is…then I laugh, joyous laughter.

I turn and take one last look at what we left behind, and I know it is good.

My son is a renowned mathematician, and it is his revolutionary mathematical equations that will eventually make possible the construction of warp engines required for extended space travel. My grandson is now completing his PhD in Materials Engineering, and his discovery will make possible the creation of a light yet tough material that will be used for the building of space-faring crafts that will send mankind to the stars.

I also finally understand what God Yahweh intended when He said He would do right by Lilith.

That single drop of blood had merged itself into my genetic makeup. My progeny carries both the genes of Eve and Lilith. It is Eve's genes that permit Mankind to continue to propagate itself. But it will be Lilith's genes, with all their enhanced physical and psychic ability, that will give Mankind the edge needed to conquer the stars.

And Lilith had moved on in peace, because she saw in me her children and her future.

God's Will is done.

"We are done here, Mika'el." I turn to him, my smile bright and wide.

Mika'el laughs. "You had me worried for a second there, Abbadon, brother mine!"

"You have to admit that we've had a fantastic and fulfilling life as Frank and Joe Hardy, Mika'el."

I turn and take another wistful look at my great grandkids.

"Now you understand why I am so reluctant to return at the end of each incarnation, Abbadon."

I sigh. Yes, I do understand that now. Still, I do not wish to openly admit it to Mika'el. He'll never let me forget this, and unlike you lucky humans, we Seraphim are immortal. An eternity being needled is certainly not an appealing thought.

I can hear Mika'el snickering in the background. I guess he knows anyway.

"Come Abbadon, we have to go. Our Lord is awaiting our report…you do know we have to submit a report when we get back, don't you?"

Yeah, some things are the same in Heaven as on Earth.

Mika'el reaches out one hand for me. I take it in mine. Then he lifts his other hand and releases that Light of Creation. I watch as the way back to Eden appears brightly lit before me.

And together, arm-in-arm, we head back into the Heavens.

THE END

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**As usual, I would appreciate some reviews...**

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